Proving Them Right
by Hidden In The Darkness 15
Summary: Four year old Naruto has finally broken, and leaves Konoha with a message left in blood. He and Kyuubi will be back. Semi Dark!Powerful!Smart!Naruto KakaNaru. Why? Because I can. Rating may change later
1. Prologue

Okay, people, this os my first fan fiction, so please be nice and kind. Don't flame me, because I fight fire with fire, and it gets really HOT. (smirk) Though I do accept and reflect upon constructive criticism. This is a Dark! Powerful! Smart! Naruto. I know, been there done that, but I like to toss in my own two cents. Oh, and because I _am_ a yaoi addict, this is KakaNaru. Why? Because I feel like it.

_**Title: **__Proving Them Right_

_**Pairing: **__KakaNaru_

_**Warning: **__male x male luvvins, Yaoi, gorey stuff, insane fantasies of a fangirl_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Would Masashi Kishimoto even bother to write this on here if this is how he wanted __Naruto__ to go? I think not._

_**Random Trivia:**__ Misashi Kishimoto has a twin, who is the mangaka of __666 Satan__ and __Blazer Driver__. Did y'all know that?_

_**Prologue:**_

They left him sobbing, covered in blood and semen. The blond four-year-old had no chance of fending even one off, and was completely overwhelmed by three. They came at midnight on his birthday, two civilians and a shinobi.

The beating didn't faze the boy, he had received so many in his short life that he was used to it, but then the men tied his hands together, his feet apart, the ropes held to the ground by the shinobi's kunai, and stripped him naked.

The boy shuddered at the memory of what came next, a fresh wave of tears washing down his whiskered cheeks. The pain from his back didn't allow movement, though he was vaguely aware of the ties that held him being undone, and a rough voice in his ear telling him that he had deserved that, and to clean himself up. As they left, one kicked him one last time, and said the only word that could have possibly made it worse; demon.

That word, that one word, was what did it for him. He wasn't as ignorant as he let on, he knew that word was the root of all of his problems for whatever reason. These men had... had... humiliated him for no reason except that word. The boy's cerulean eyes burned with the pure rage that ran through him, and inside his mind, something awoke with a howl of pain.

_**'Pain?! Who dares hurt me? Who dares to lay a finger on my kit?! The human that harmed my heir has condemned themselves to death!' **_a gravelly voice thundered, and the boy retreated to the chamber within his mind. He had to speak to his 'father', the nine-tailed king of demons, Kyuubi na Yoko, before the demon decided to kill every human that had ever looked at him wrong, which, at the moment, was a lot.

_'Three, Kyuu.' he told the furious fox demon, and the bars that separated the two disintegrated, revealing the demaon that had downsized itself to the size of a small horse, nine tails swirling around his body majestically. A paw shot out and closed around the diminutive figure, but instead of being devoured, the boy was pulled to the furry chest of the demon held there with one paw._

_**'Three what, Kit?'**__ Kyuubi murmured as he held the boy close, trying to soothe away the fear that accompanied the child's anger._

_'There were three of them. I-I knew all of them. The man who sold me that apple that was rotten on the inside, the ninja that escorts me to jiji's tower, and the man that tripped me yesterday.' the boy answered, his voice muffled in the furry chest._

_**'Naruto... these men, do you know where they live, or work?'**__ the yokai asked in an unusually caring voice, and was rewarded by the slight nod of his charge's head. Suddenly pushing the boy, Naruto, away from him, his glowing red eyes stare straight into sky blue._

_'I know what you are planning, Kyuu.' the boy finally said, and Kyuubi sighed, knowing that while he was free to roam the boy's mind and the world of the summons (due to the summons contract Naruto had immediately agreed to sign) but he could not posses his mind without Naruto's permission. What the four-year-old said next shocked him, though. 'I agree, but, after wards, I think it's time to leave. This was the last straw. I was raped by people who I tried so hard to get approval from. Kyuu, for now, for tonight, I give you full reign.'_

_That was all the demon needed before he faded from the mindscape._

In the real world the child's eyes snapped open, turned from their usual trusting blue to a red that burned into a person's very soul. The whisker marks on his cheeks deepened and widened.

**"Excellent. Kit, I know you can hear me. I will take your revenge, and then we will leave this horrible town. But we will come back"**

_'And when we do, it will rain blood on the streets of Konohagakure no sato.'_ was his cold answer, as Naruto shrugged off his innocent mask. Kyuubi grinned.

**"That's my Kit." **he encouraged.

Hours later three male bodies were found strung from the trees just outside the main gate, and carved into their flesh, were the most bone chilling words the villagers had ever seen.

'We will return.' Naruto Uzamaki, jinchuuriki of the nine-tailed fox, had left the village with a promise for more blood to come.

Well, that's the prologue. I know it's short, but oh well. If I don't get some reviews, I may just stop it there. What's the point of continuing if no one likes it? Oh, yes, I have decided Kyuubi thinks of himself as Naruto's father, since he has none. Oh, and I borrowed the idea of Kyuubi's summoning contract from... I'm not really sure, there have been so many stories with it that I don't know whose story planted the idea in my head. Ah, well, who ever they are, thank you. And... that's pretty much all I wanted to say, except 5 reviews by next week will be my only motivation for continuing. And remember what I said about flames! Though... that doesn't count if your name is Flame, such as it is with my sempai, a. dancing. blue. flame15... thank you for your help, Flame-sempai, Neko-chan, and Tamako-san!


	2. Chapter 1

Okay, I'm already tired of waiting for a fifth review, and wanted some feedback on this, so I guess I'll have to deal with only four for now, but, seriously, if people keep alerting it without a review, I'll drop this and move on to another idea. And now, for your enjoyment (or disgust) here's chapter

_**Title: **__Proving Them Right**  
Pairing:**__ KakaNaru**  
Warning:**__ Male x Male luvvins (if KakaNaru wasn't clear enough for you), gorey stuff, and my insane fantasies**  
Disclaimer: **__If I owned Naruto this would be the manga, not a fan fiction**  
Random Trivia: **__Naruto original was supposed to wear boots, but sandals were used instead because Kishimoto likes drawing toes._

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_**  
Chapter 1**_

_**'Kit, I believe it is time to move on." **_Kyuubi said softly as he sat next to his motionless young kit. Naruto just stood, staring at the village he had left behind from an overlook, the village seeming tiny from there.

"It's so small, Kyuu." the four year old murmured. He obscured his vision of the traitorous place with his hand, and quickly closed his open palm, giving him the illusion of crushing it. "Small places are easy to destroy."

The demon grinned, showing sharp teeth. _**"I have never been prouder of you, Kit. But we really should leave."**_

The child finally looked at him. "Do you have a place in mind?" he asked quietly, trusting the fox's choices completely.

_**"... Suna. The jinchuuriki of my general Shukaku resides there. He is hated as you were, it will be no trouble to persuade him to join us. If we are to wreak proper havoc on the village that destroyed your innocence, we will need to gather powerful followers, and train them to be loyal only to us."**_ the demon replied, and Naruto nodded in understanding, and, with only a slight flare of Kyuubi's chakra, both were gone.

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_**One Year Later**_

_**"Come on Cub, you can hit her harder than that!" **_Shukaku, in his summons form, called encouragement from the side lines of the training ground while Gaara and Yugito fought a fierce battle. Temari cheered with him.

_**"Don't let them look down on us females, Kitten, give him all you've got!" **_Nibi shouted to her own heir.

Naruto watched this in amusement. It hadn't taken long to find half of the jinchuuriki and convince them that if they joined him they would have a family, and, in a few years, revenge against the villages that betrayed them.

Gaara hadn't been hard to win over, his own uncle had tried to assassinate him the night before Naruto had arrived at Suna, and when the red head followed him through the gates of the village, his siblings followed. Naruto had fixed Shukaku's seal, getting rid of the mad priest while keeping the demon, then convinced the other boy to sign the raccoon summoning contract, giving the one-tailed demon just as much freedom as Kyuubi.

Yugito had been a bit more difficult, as she was older than the two boys, and an eighteen year old is unlikely to blindly follow the order of a four-year-old. That was, until that four year old defeated her without using the chakra of his 'father'. When she finally listened to his preposition, and agreed that she would act as their gaurdian if he did the same for her that he had done for Gaara. The seal was fixed, Nibi's contract signed, and the group moved on.

They then traveled to the land of water, and the six-tailed slug's jinchuuriki, Utakata. They intercepted him as he was running from his village. He followed them with no fight at all, and gladly signed Rokubi's summoning contract.

The other Jinchuuriki either refused outright to follow the boy, or didn't want to leave the villages they inhabited, no matter the treatment they received. The most interesting rejection was by Kirābī, who rapped his negative answer.

As they went, they also picked up people who, though they did not house a demon, were powerful in their own right. As they skirted around Naruto's original village they came across what at first seemed to be a pair of dead bodies, but when they neared Naruto found that he knew the two, if only by name. Uchiha Itachi and his younger brother Sasuke, who was Naruto's age, and both were alive.

It took all of the groups knowledge of healing to keep the two brothers alive, and Itachi finally awoke first, hallucinating and ranting about a snake man. Eventually, when Sasuke woke, he was able to speak normally. His family was massacred by a man named Orochimaru, who was one of the original sannin. It started with an atempt on Itachi's life by a man whom he considered a brother, Uchiha Shisui, though Itachi overpowered him, and killed him.

The snake sannin tried to gain the Sharigan, the Uchiha blood limit, but when he was met with resistance, he just killed the whole clan. Itachi just barely managed to get out with Sasuke, and they were running from the village because he knew that the massacre would somehow be blamed on him.

When he found out who Naruto was, he, at first, was horrified, and Sasuke cast his mind back, remembering the vague warning against one kid named Naruto Uzumaki, but his six year old mind couldn't quite get it. Itachi, on the other hand, remembered the three bodies found, and the message that the then four year old had left. Naruto, now seven, took the older brother aside and told him an abridged story of his short life in the village.

After wards the last remaining Uchihas joined Naruto's growing group.

Another powerful pair that joined was the nuke-nin Momichi Zabuza and his student Haku, who seemed to have no last name, but possessed a very powerful bloodline that was thought to be extinct due to the civil war in Kiri.

As the years passed and everything the demons knew was taught to their jinchuuriki, who in turn taught watered down versions of some of it to the others, the small, close knit band grew into an army. Whispers about a powerful force who did assassinations for fun grew into legends in all of the lands, and those who held grudges against their villages or just wanted the power it could bring them, ran from their homes, and caught up with the army, which was bestowed with the name Yuumei. Naruto cast away the name that the council had deemed him worthy of, and told his followers, which now numbered into the thousands, to just refer to him as Eien.

The Yuumei had grown so powerful that they had started taking down the towns that had treated them so badly, beginning with the small ones, and soon moving on to the hidden villages. They did it so quietly and efficiently that no one was the wiser for it, and no one survived that would spread the word. Soon the only hidden village they hadn't conquered was Konohagakure no Sato.

Eien was about to fulfill his promise.

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And that is chapter one, which took me twenty tries, three false starts, and four hours to write, though it doesn't help that I was at school without my computer... Anyway, once more, five more reviews before chapter two comes out. This is now where I'll reply to reviews!

_**To Lady Laran:**_ My first ever review! You are awesome! Thank you, and trust me, the rest is something you want to stick around for Q(^.^)

_**To WannaPlayAGame:**_ Thank you so much for reviewing! I'm really glad you like it, and will try to keep you happy with it!

_**To Tharrow:**_ It'll be in an interesting way, trust me, I already have that planned, at least. But other than that... I'm kind of winging it.

_**To a. dancing. blue. flame15:**_ Flame-sempai! Neko-chan! Tamako! I am ecstatic that you liked it. All of you are my insrpiration! And thank you for your help with this chapter!

_**To the people who didn't review:**_ you are so mean! (sniffle)

A few notes before I depart!

Yuumei- Dark and Light, because they really can't figure out whether they're the good guys or the bad (and neither can I)... I guess it's really how you look at it

Eien- Eternal, because as the heir to the Kyuubi no Yoko, he is immortal.

Konohagakure no Sato- Village hidden in the leaves

The name Kaito, and the name of his demon was made up, borrowed from a story that Flame-sempai adopted, with her express permission.

That's all for now! Good night


	3. Chapter 2

I'm sorry it took me so long to update, Flame-sempai is out of town, and I really have no one to bounce ideas off of… so it took me a long time to settle on a way to present this chapter. Gaara is a little out of character because he grew up under Eien (Naruto). Oh! Someone unofficially asked me how to pronounce Eien, and I thought you might be wondering as well, it's Eh-ee-in. Okay, as Flame-sempai likes to say, on with the story!

_**Title:**_ _Proving Them Right**  
Pairing:**__ KakaNaru**  
Warning:**__ Yaoi, gore, and me. This'll be fun**  
Disclaimer:**__ Kishimoto is a guy. I am a girl. If you are older than the age of three, you know the difference**  
Random Trivia:**__ Kishimoto was worried about Sakura's looks, because he thinks he utterly fails at drawing 'cute' girls. What do you think?_

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_**Chapter 2**_

"Kazekage-dono, it's a privilege to finally meet you. I, of course, heard of your father's death and give you my condolences." The oily voice of the Godaime Hokage rang through the office.

"Hn," was the redhead's only answer. Inu shifted casually, his hand lingering near the kunai pouch on his waist.

Danzou glanced at the Kazekage's guard, a tall man, dressed in a white cape with black flames wearing the mask of Suna ANBU. For some reason the man seemed to have more presence than the Kazekage himself, though that was impossible.

Inu studied the two people on the other side of the desk. He noticed that every few moments the Kazekage's eyes would drift over to his guard, almost as if it was a habit. He was trying to figure out what that meant when the young man himself stepped up to the redhead and they held a murmured conversation until the masked man stepped back again, and did something that shocked both Inu and the Hokage. He split in two without any hand signs, and the clone disappeared in a swirl of fire that didn't harm anything.

"Ah, Kazekage-dono, what-" Danzou started, but Gaara cut him off.

"Eien just sent one of his clones to check on our men. You did not think that I would travel with only one guard did you?" he asked. Danzou just grunted. He did not trust the ninja that could do a jutsu without hand seals. It was considered impossible. Inu just stared at Eien, not saying anything.

Gaara did not like this one bit; the ANBU beside the Hokage watched them too closely. He had told his Master that he might not be able to pull this off…

_**Flashback: 2 Days Ago**_

_The ninja traveled swiftly, leaping from tree to tree on the way to their final destination. Gaara caught up to his Master to voice his concerns before they had no choice but to continue._

"_Master, I do not think that I could fool a Konoha Chuunin, much less an ANBU." he said nervously as he adjusted the triangular hat that was emblazoned with the sign of the Kazekage, the position his Master had given him after Suna was completely defeated._

_Eien glanced over at his follower before grinning and placing a hand on Gaara's shoulder._

"_You are one of the most powerful people I know, and before I got to you, so many years ago, one of the best actors. You survived the attempts on your life by people you knew, family members, friends, and still no one suspected the vengeful plans you had for them." he said, his voice ringing with pride._

"_I am honored you show so much faith in me, but-" Gaara was cut off._

"_Gaara, once again of the Sand, you are the Godaime Kazekage, the most powerful person in Suna, if you doubt yourself, then you give anyone in this pitiful village a reason to doubt you." _

"_I-i… Thank you, Master, I will do it to the best of my abilities."_

"_Excellent, because we are here." Eien moved to his place on the right side of Gaara as the gates of Konoha loomed over their party. Eien put on the mask that _

_**End Flashback**_

"Inu!" the Godaime Hokage's voice startled him from his musings, but Gaara was trained to show a calm exterior under all circumstances, and his breath didn't even hitch. The man in the dog mask had summoned a small dog and it was sniffing Eien curiously, much Gaara's amusement.

"I have a much better solution to your curiosity, Kazekage-dono, if my man removes his mask, will you agree to have yours do the same?" Danzou's voice was honey coated, and if Gaara could show any emotion, he would have raised a non-existent eyebrow.

"I decline, this man is not my slave, and I will not order him to do something he would not do otherwise." he responded, and noticed the dog-ANBU's shoulders relax slightly, obviously reluctant to do what the Hokage was suggesting, though the Hokage seemed angry that Gaara did not agree to let 'his ANBU' reveal his identity.

"Kazekage-sama, the others wish to know if Konoha is prepared to house all of us, or if we will be camping outside the gates." Eien suddenly said, his voice a bit young for one so tall. Gaara looked at Danzou for his answer.

"O-of course all of you will be staying here. Did you expect anything less?" the crippled man demanded, but the redhead chose to remain silent.

"Where will we be accommodated?" the masked man, Eien, asked in the Kazekage's place.

"The Hokage tower, of course. I hope your delegation isn't too large." The intent of the question was obvious, how many people did they bring? Enough to fight Konoha?

"Not too large, just enough to protect me in a journey across the desert." Gaara replied.

"Excellent, then I shall have Inu here escort you to the floor where you and your delegation will reside." Danzou relaxed a little.

"Actually, there is another place I would like to see, and another person. The nine tailed demon child… he should be a teenager now, correct?" Gaara asked according to plan, and waited for the reaction he knew he would get.

"You have no reason to fear, the demon has been put down. We would not use it to attack you, in any case." Danzou lied obviously, not understanding the real reason for Gaara's question, he was too busy watching the dog Inu had summoned finally trot to its master.

If what happened next was a shock to the two sand nin, they didn't show it.

The dog stated in a clear voice, "It's no use boss, the kid is blocking his smell somehow," before poofing back to the summons world.

"Hatake-san, if you have any questions about my identity, you could ask like a normal person." Eien said nonchalantly, and the ANBU froze, staring at the hunter with one wide black eye.

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_Dark's Randomness Corner_

And that's all you're gonna get right now, just because cliffies are fun, and the fact that it is midnight and I have final exams this week. Oh, I just found an awesome story, it's called _Rockband, ANBU Style_ by _flamingmagnum_, it's really good and it's widening my music taste. Go check it out, the review for it, because I _really_ wanna see how it turns out, though it definitely won't be a KakaNaru... ah well. I'll try to update soon!


	4. Chapter 3

I'm counting the reviews from the first chapter, so, for 15, I'm moving on! Hey, I've been surfing around the Naruto fandom, and I see a lot of fics starting with 'Thinking, Talking,' etc. What does that mean? I'd ask Flame-sempai, but she's out of town for the summer, and out of reach of a computer for a while. (sigh) Well, if you know, could ya tell me, I'm curious. Okay, onwards!

_**Title:**__Proving Them Right**  
Pairing:**__ KakaNaru**  
Warnings:**__ ... will be hard to write, but so will the yaoi. Oh! And a cuss word being used a couple of times.**  
Disclaimer:**__ I can't draw worth a crap, and Naruto would be REALLY deformed if I owned him, so be glad I don't**  
Random Trivia:**__ Naruto is the only series Kishimoto published outside of Weekly Shonen Jump  
_

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__**Chapter 3**_

"_Hatake-san, if you have any questions about my identity, you could ask like a normal person." Eien said nonchalantly, and the ANBU froze, staring at the hunter with one wide black eye._

"W-what do you mean? Hatake Kakashi is the only Hatake in this village, and he is just a jounin." Danzou said, glaring at the frozen man beside him, willing him silently to act like this didn't affect him at all. It didn't work.

"And the only one that wields the dog summoning contract at the moment. I am not a fool, Hokage-sama." Eien replied, and though they couldn't see his face, his voice sounded amused.

"I-inu, you are dismissed for the night." the Hokage ordered, trying to at least keep some order, and the ANBU seemed to snap out of his shock, and made the first hand sign for a shunshin when the Suna ANBU called to him.

"Ah, but Kakashi-san, I was just beginning to have fun." Kakashi glared at the fox masked man before completing his jutsu and disappearing.

Gaara glanced over at his Master and suppressed a sigh. The man may be the leader of most of the continent's hidden villages, but that didn't mean he did not act like a fifteen year old. And sometimes younger, Gaara reminded himself, as he thought back on one of the pranks Eien had pulled on him not too long ago...

_**Flashback: One Month Ago**_

_Gaara walked through Suna not long after his promotion to Kazekage, smiling at random people that passed him. The adult villagers that had lived there had all been executed, either during the battle, or after in the massacre Eien had allowed Gaara to perform, but the children had been spared. All of the adults who now resided in Suna were the warriors who had won the right._

_One child ran by him, gleefully chased by more. Gaara was glad Eien had figured out that memory suppressing jutsu, and none of the children of any of the places they had conquered realized the people they now lived with were not their parents, or that there had been any change at all from one way to the other. There were no orphans, as every child was given parents._

_Gaara decided that he didn't feel like going through the front entrance of the Kazekage tower when he got there, and just walked up the side of the building to his office. What he found there shocked him beyond words._

_In his seat, as if he had been there all along, sat the person he had taken joy in killing last, savoring the death screams. It was impossible he was here now! Yet, there he sat._

_His father, the Yondaime Kazekage._

_The Yondaime spoke. It, at first, followed Gaara's memories of mission assignments, but then swerved severely._

_"Gaara of the sand, you are to go to Konoha and... and... Crap! What was I going to say next?" the supposedly dead man started searching through his robe frantically, and the red head just stood there silently, finally realizing what was going on. When seconds turned into minutes he finally helped._

_"Try your breast pocket, that's usually where you keep things, Master." he murmured, and the Yondaime obliged, pulling out a piece of paper from said pocket before studying it for a moment and tossing it aside._

_"Now where was I? Oh, yeah, um, go to Konoha and tell the Hokage from me to go fuck himself." he finished in a dead pan voice, which lasted for a moment before both teens burst out laughing, though the red head was a bit more reserved than the man who was now slowly shrinking._

_"Master, I do not think he will appreciate that in the least... and I am so busy, possibly some other time?" Gaara asked the blond boy who now replaced his father, but not before catching the irony._

_The boy had replaced his father in more ways than one._

_Eien sobered. "Actually, Gaara-kun, that is what I wanted to come talk to you about. I just couldn't help myself when I saw you weren't here," he said. Gaara knew he could take that and turn it into a joke, something he wouldn't have even considered so many years ago, so he gave into the impulse._

_"You really wanted me to go tell the Hokage to go fuck himself, Master?" he pretended to be shocked, and coaxed a grin out of Eien._

_"No, in fact, leave that to me. That will be the last words he ever hears." Eien's grin went from amusement to evil, before disappearing all together. "But first, we have to get there. How does a quick trip to Konoha sound? As the Kazekage we can 'strengthen' the treaty your father signed with ji... the previous Hokage. We won't attack this time, just get our bearings and plot the terrain."_

_"It sounds almost completely fool proof, Master." Gaara replied, serious now. Eien nodded, and the plans for the begining of the end of Konoha were set in motion._

_**End Flashback**_

"Kazekage-dono, are you all right?" once again Danzou's voice brought him back to the present.

"I am sorry, Hokage-dono, I suppose I am a bit tired from the long journey..." Gaara hoped the man he had come to despise in the short minutes he had known him would take a hint. He didn't.

"That is quite all right. As I was saying, I have read the treaty our predecessors signed, and must say that some of the conditions are disagreeable. I propose we sign a new one that is more satisfactory to both of us." Danzou said, remembering that te benefits of the treaty leaned too much towards Suna's advantage, and he would fix that.

"I suppose we could discuss new terms in the morning. I would appreciate it if I could get my party settled into the quarters you have provided us," Gaara tried again, but once again to no avail.

"Why save for later what we could do now? Why, I can call a scribe to-" the old war horse was interrupted by the mysterious and worrying Suna ANBU.

"Sir! Kazekage-sama has tried twice, unsuccessfully to insinuate he was tired and would like to be excused." Eien said irritably, and Gaara looked at him once with gratitude before turning his attention back onto the thick headed idiot Konoha had chosen for its leader. The council, he decided, must have been made up by a bunch of witless monkeys.

Danzou was taken aback by the sheer rudeness of the ANBU's words and actions, and waited for the Kazekage to reprimand or punish the distasteful outburst, but none was forthcoming.

"Of course. How foolish of me, I forgot momentarily that you are only a growing child, and need your sleep so that you can grow into a real man. Excuse my mistake, and follow Neko to your rooms, if you would." he retorted, going for what would should have sent the adolescent into a rage, but was disappointed when all that haened was another Konoha ANBU dropping from the ceiling, and the two Suna nin leaving him to his silent tantrum.

Outside the window Inu raised an eyebrow behind his mask at the childish act of the Hokage, and the lack of reaction from the Hokage.

If things continued at this pace, these negotiations were going to be interesting.

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Okay, so Gaa-chan is a _little _OOC, but, remember that he grew up under different conditions than Canon, so he would be different. Naruto I wouldn't expect to go through that much change, just being a bit more serious and mature at the appropriate times. Danzo is fun to mess with (evil grin). Oh, and just imagine living with Naruto, who still enjoys pranks, is just as forgetful, is twenty times as powerful, and a billion times more sadistic than canon. Life would certainly never be dull. I rather like his prank, but that's just me. :) Oh, and the kids were spared was because they had never done anything to Gaa-chan, and mind wied because who wants a bunch of emo kids running around cutting themselves otherwise? We don't need anymore little Sasukes. Okay, you know the drill, R & R!


	5. Chapter 4

Okey dokey, chapter 4! I can't believe it's progressing this fast! You guys are awesome! ^^ And yes, PiratekitAG, the jack as- er, Danzou is Hokage, because Naruto wasn't there to convince Tsunade. I'm running out of ideas for Random Trivia... so I guess I might stop... but not this chapter! Okay, here we go!

**_Title:_**_ Proving Them Right**  
Pairing:**__ KakaNaru**  
Warning:**__ Yaoi and gore... eventually. And a really long flashback.**  
Disclaimer:**__ If I owned Naruto, I wouldn't have had to pay for the Kyuubi plushy I just bought**  
Random Trivia:**__ Anko, you know, the crazy lady, her name means Sweet Beans... o.O_

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**_Chapter 4_**

The gray light of predawn was cast over Konoha when three figures appeared in an abandoned apartment. The walls were covered in graffiti that mostly said demon, or monster, and blue eyes took in the sight dispassionately.

"Master, this apartment is...?" one of the figures asked, and another answered the unfinished question.

"Yes, my old house. Believe it or not, it hasn't changed one bit since I was last here." another answered. He stepped into the feeble light cast from a window to run a finger along one of the counters. "Save for a bit more dust."

"Master, you cannot mean you lived in an environment like this for the first four years of your life." the last figure said incredulously.

"Sasuke, not all of us was treated as royalty when we were young. I, as the vessel of the Kyuubi no Yoko, was despised by the ignorant idiots that inhabit this hell hole." Eien stated, glancing out the only window at the sleeping village in disdain.

"That's not what I meant, Master, it's just... you were only a child, and they left you alone in this place to grow up?" the person, Sasuke, glanced around the apartment, at the counters that were decaying, the faded graffiti, and the thread bare carpet.

"I no longer dwell on the past, Sasuke. Itachi, I know you wanted to say something, please speak up." Eien cast a look at the other man, Itachi.

"Master, do you really think it is appropriate for my brother and I to be here, the village idiots think he is dead, another victim of the massacre, and I don't believe they allow S-class missing nin to wonder the streets freely." Itachi murmured, putting a hand on his brother's shoulder.

Sasuke froze for a moment, the memories from that night still haunted him... but then, they were saved.

_**Flashback: 8 Years Ago**_

_Seven year old Sasuke awoke slowly, his mind foggy, his body weak. The bed beneath him was soft, and he just wanted to go back to sleep, but m his mom should be coming soon to wake him and..._

_MOM! _

_It hit him suddenly, the last thing he remembered before blacking out. His brother standing over the motionless bodies of his parents, covered in their blood... and a kunai pressed to his throat by an arm that extended from the shadows. _

_"Sasuke, run, now!" Itachi had called to him, but he didn't run. Ninjas never run. Sasuke had drawn a wooden kunai from his own pouch, and threw it with poor aim at his brother's assailant and his family's murderer._

_The arm batted them away. "Ah, what a cute little chibi, he thinks he can hurt me with those pitiful toys." a snake like voice rang through the ominous silence, and the attacker was distracted by the boy for only a moment, but that moment was all Itachi needed._

_He drew the katana on his back, and slashed back at the mysterious man, but there was no one there. Then his little brother cried out, and he spun back to face him. What he saw sent chills of fear down his spine._

_Sasuke dangled in the grip of a strange looking man, fighting and struggling to try and gain freedom. Itachi recognized the man from descriptions his superiors had given all new ANBU recruits, along with the instructions to get their asses out of the immediate vicinity if any of them saw anyone matching the description._

_Long, greasy black hair tumbling down thin shoulders, green-yellow eyes glowing slightly in the weak moonlight, sickly looking pale face._

_Orochimaru, hebi sannin, was holding his brother._

_"I-itachi-nii." Sasuke called in a strangled voice, brightly colored spots dancing in his vission as the man who held him cut off his air. It wasn't long before the colorful dots were replaced by a black void._

_That was all Sasuke remembered before now._

_A hand was suddenly placed on his forehead, and the seven-year-old threw it off with all of the force in his small body, bolted out of the strange bed, and he hid, panic stricken, in one of the corners in the brightly lit room._

_Arms closed around him, and a voice he could never mistake murmured in his ear. "Sasuke, it's okay now, everything is all right. I'm here, and we will get through this together."_

_"I-itachi-nii? I thought..." tears spilled down cherubic cheeks from the child's obsidian eyes as he turned to cling to his brother's shirt, afraid to let go. Afraid of the snake-man that could still be there for all he knew._

_"We're safe, otouto." was his only answer when Sasuke heard the door open, and a strange child's voice interupted._

_"Good, he's awake. Itachi-san, I was worried when I saw you out of bed. You shouldn't be moving around now." the child said, and Sasuke felt his brother stiffen before he was pushed roughly behind him._

_"Demon, I will not let you hurt him!" Itachi called in a rough voice, and Sasuke glanced around his brother at the stranger._

_The child was vaguely familiar, no older than he was, with sunny blond hair and eyes the color of the sky on a cloudless day. Each cheek was adorned by three whisker-like scars, and he had a hand resting on a small black fox that was by his side, growling ominously. The boy sighed._

_"Kon, please calm yourself." he said to the fox before turning to the brothers. "Kon does not like it when people call me names, and I have no wish to harm your brother." his voice seemed void of emotion, but his blue eyes danced with barely suppressed amusement._

_Sasuke didn't understand at all. Why was his brother acting like this against the strange boy?_

_"Itachi-nii, what's wrong?" he asked curiously, tugging at his brother's shirt._

_"Sasuke, please be quiet, I will explain after we leave." Itachi told him, then to the blond boy, "We _are _leaving, make no mistake about that."_

_The boy smiled. "Of course, but not before you hear my side of the story, and your brother eats. He must be famished."_

_"No. We will get something for him later. Anything you give him may kill him." Itachi said with vehemence, and the boy laughed._

_"Well then, both of you must be ghosts, as we have been feeding you our dastardly poisonous food for a week. Uchiha Itachi, your opinions are as skewered as those who ran me out of that village. Follow me, we have no ill intentions, I only wish to talk." _

_Sasuke watched as this exchange went on for a few more minutes before Itachi-nii finally followed the boy through the door, ordering him not to talk to anyone, or take food from them, even though his stomach growled loudly in protest._

_Half an hour later they hed come back, and to Sasuke's shock, his brother seemed to have a totally different attitude towards the little blond boy than before. They had eaten the food Itachi had said wold kill them, and his brother had announced they would follow the boy and his group around for a bit._

_**End Flashback**_

And they had never left. Days had stretched into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years. Itachi, after a while, explained about the boy, and his justified rage towards the village that he had once loved. Sasuke found himself disgusted with the people who had treated him and his family with utmost respect.

He had sworn his allegiance to the boy, now known as Eien, not long after he had learned the truth, and not long before he had learned his brother had done the same.

Eien was a fair and just leader at such a young age, and treated all of his followers with respect. No one dared betray him, not because of his own power, but because of the power of the people who had sworn themselves loyal to the jinchuuriki.

"Itachi, I understand your fears, but no one will recognize you as anything but a Suna ANBU while we are here. And Sasuke was a child when you left, and looks completely different than when you first came to me." Eien said, and Sasuke shifted his attention back to the present situation.

Eien's comment was true. Sasuke had realized how idiotic his hair looked when a young Gaara had commented on how much it resembled a duck's behind. He let it grow out, and it reached to his shoulders in a straight black waterfall. His face had lost its baby fat, growing sharp and defined. He no longer dressed in the rubber like ensemble he had thought looked cool, opting instead for simple, baggy, black pants with a kunai pouch hugging the area above his knee, a tight black tank top that revealed his slightly tanned and very muscular arms.

Itachi glanced at his brother and realized the truth in his Master's words.

"Of course you are right, Master. Excuse my doubts." he said to the younger man. Eien grinned beneath his mask.

Being called 'Master' was not his decision, but when Gaara had started it, it had been picked up by others, moving through the ranks until all of his followers called him that. Weirdly enough, it had started as a joke.

"Itachi, you may call me 'Master', but I really do not rule your mind, and you are allowed to voice how you feel." he said. He turned back to the one roomed, pitiful apartment one last time.

"A truly powerful person comes from poverty. I heard that once, I don't remember where, but I think it fits. Don't you guys?" he asked.

"I couldn't have said it better." was Itachi's reply.

"Perfectly." Sasuke said at the same time.

Eien nodded, then suddenly drew the sword strapped to his waist and spun towards the door as a figure stood there, observing the apparent intruders.

* * *

Ooh, cliffy, evil, I know. InARealPickle said that my second chapter was more like a summary than a chapter, but I planned it that way. I'm gonna add a flashback to almost every chapter, all of them telling the stories of the Yuumei and the follower's origins. I think it's more effective that way. I think I amy write my own version of another Naruto cliche, the one where he's really an undercover ANBU. Do y'all think I should? I like writing my own versions of stuff like that. Anyway, goodbye for now, and see ya soon!


	6. Chapter 5

Have you read my new oneshot? It's not only my second story, but my first ever one shot, and it was entertaining as hell! Okay, so, where were we... oh, yeah, they're at Naruto's apartment and someone comes upon them. This'll be fun. Let's go, then.

_**Title:**_ _Proving Them Right**  
Pairing:**__ KakaNaru... eventually**  
Warning:**__ Yaoi, and gore, and, everyone run and hide, here comes the pink haired banshee!**  
Disclaimer:**__ (Insert witty comment about me not owning Naruto here)**  
Random Trivia:**__ Ibiki, the chuuin exam proctor guy/really scary interogater, his name means snore... told ya I'm running out of ideas!_

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**Chapter 5**_

"Welcome to the party, Hatake-san, you're later than I thought you would be." Eien said to the new figure, who stepped into the feeble light to reveal a man with silver hair, most of his face covered by a mask while his left eye was hidden behind his tilted hitai-ate. The man glared at Eien, who just raised an eyebrow behind his fox mask, sheathing the gleaming black sword in his hand.

Movement beside the masked Suna ANBU caught Kakashi's attention, and he looked over at the two other men in the room. For some reason they were vaguely familiar, though one was wearing an ANBU mask in the relief of a weasel's face. It was their chakra, it had a feel of power, quiet yet deadly… where had he felt that before?

He was certain he had never met the only unmasked one. He was a boy, no older than fifteen, with long raven locks and obsidian eyes that seemed bottomless. There was no name to put with the sharp featured face in Kakashi's memory, so he moved on to the taller one.

He felt that the chakra of this one was definitely familiar, though he couldn't see his face, and most likely close to the unmasked boy, as he had yet to remove his hand from the boy's thin shoulder. The weasel mask smiled mockingly at him, as if taunting him. It was driving Kakashi mad.

"Tiger, let's see how well you remember your bingo books. This man, who is he? Weasel, try not to help him, it is part of his training." Eien said, and the unmasked man grinned. His brother had told him about this exercise; it was given to all of the ranks that were loyal to Eien. A person was chosen that was not part of the Yuumei, and the one being tested would identify the unknown person, give all known facts about him, and, as the test was occasionally given in the middle of a battle, sometimes ordered to kill them. Sasuke hoped that he would be ordered the same. Then he remembered what Eien had called the silver haired man and the grin turned to a scowl.

"Hatake Kakashi of the Sharigan eye," Kakashi practically heard the boy gritting his teeth, though he had no idea why. "Better known as the copy-cat ninja, the one who can do a thousand jutsus. Not much is known about his past, except that he was the son of the disgraced White Fang of Konoha. Wanted in all of the hidden villages except Suna and Konoha, for obvious reasons. The rest is a mystery." The boy called Tiger finished, then waited.

"Good, and don't worry, if all goes as we hope, you'll get the order you want in time." Eien told the boy, and then glanced at Weasel. "Though you may need help. Ah, well. Shall we go?" he turned to his companions.

"Wait! I still have something to ask you." Kakashi called as the men's hands started to fly through hand seals. Eien stopped, but motioned for his two companions to continue, which they did reluctantly. Both disappeared without the swirl of leaves, the sudden smoke, or the flash of chakra that was the norm with that technique.

"What did you want to know? I will answer it if it is reasonable." Eien said, his voice sounding a bit over patient, almost condescending. Kakashi chose to ignore the tone.

"When you first got here, you immediately asked about the container of the nine-tailed demon, and now you are here. I want to know what your connection to Naruto Uzumaki is." If he had been watching the masked man closely, Kakashi would have noticed his shoulders stiffen a bit, and if he could see Eien's face, he would have seen the boy's bitter scowl. As it was, he saw neither.

"Who said there was a connection? It is common knowledge the Kyuubi's jinchuuriki used to reside in this village, and I could be just another curious tourist. I am now wondering how you killed the boy without having to face the demon's wrath. Wouldn't he have been released?" Eien countered, his voice showing none of his sudden anger.

"_I_ didn't kill the kid, the council-" Kakashi started to explain irritably, but was interrupted by the sudden poof of smoke, and when it cleared, instead of Eien disappearing like he expected, they were instead joined by a small, pure white fox.

"Yuki, what is it that it couldn't wait?" Eien spoke directly to the animal, which answered him in yips and barks. Kakashi watched this exchange with interest, wondering if the Suna ANBU could actually understand the fox's language. With what else the boy could do, this trait wouldn't surprise the jounin as much as it usually would have. Then he realized the fox looked familiar in a way he could never forget…

_**Flashback: 15 Years Ago**_

_Kakashi leapt through the trees, calling frantically for his missing sensei. In his arms the small bundle stirred, and a tuft of blonde hair poked out, along with a tiny fist._

_Kakashi knew what the infant would be used for, and was torn between wanting to have the village safe, and wanting to protect this innocent life from the pain Kakashi knew was its fate. Not only would the child face the physical pain of the sealing, but also the emotional pain of the village's reaction. _

_A roar, blood chilling and accompanied by a massive wave of killing intent, caused the new born in his arms to start wailing. Soon Kakashi figured out that the closer they grew to the source of the KI, the louder the child would cry._

"_Sh,sh, it's okay, we'll be with your father soon." He tried easing the baby's cries, lying like there was no tomorrow, and for this child, that was a possibility. A pure white fox leapt out from between the trees, following him to his destination, but not attacking. He tried to ignore it, and it apparently did not see him as a threat, for it returned the favor. _

_Finally Kakashi spotted the flash of gold, red, and white, just before a gigantic toad was summoned to the world. The fox kept moving past him, towards her master, the nine-tailed demon, though he didn't notice._

"_Sensei!" He called to the man on top of the toad's head. He pushed a lot of chakra through his feet, into the ground, and ended up shooting straight up to his sensei's perch as the newly appointed Hokage stared at the giant red fox causing chaos not far away. When he noticed his student, Minato smiled tiredly._

"_Kakashi-kun, you have my son, good." He murmured as he took the bundle from Kakashi. He looked up at the silver haired boy and asked almost hesitantly, "Kushina?"_

_Kakashi shook his head, sorrow in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Sensei, but the injuries Kushina-san received before the birth of your son were fatal, Tsunade-sama was only able to keep her alive through the birth. She told me, just before she passed, to tell you that she will always love you." He answered, and Minato allowed one tear to make its way down his cheek before he turned back to the King of Demons._

"_Kakashi-kun, I haven't told anyone about this, but… the jutsu I am planning to use… I will not survive it. Tell Surotobi-sama to look in the hidden compartment of my desk, he knows where it is. He will find my will, and a letter to be given to my son when he is old enough to understand. When I'm gone, I want you to watch over him for me."_

"_Sensei! You cannot die; you are Konoha's only ray of hope! Please, let me take your lace in performing the jutsu, if you would only explain it to me, I'm sure I could get it! Think about-" Kakashi's protests were cut off by a look from his sensei. _

"_You are young, Kakashi-kun, and may not understand now, but you will, in time." Was all the Yondaime said before placing a firm hand on his student's forehead, and with a burst of chakra, the silver haired jounin knew only darkness._

_**End Flashback**_

He still didn't know why his sensei had chosen to die willingly, and a pang of guilt accompanied the remembrance of his promise. He had awoken in the hospital hours later, and the Sandaime had explained what had happened, showing him the child, who now had strange, whisker like scars on both cheeks, and a seal on his stomach.

Kakashi had not given any thought to the small fox afterwards, and was wondering if this was just a coincidence.

Eien nodded, and Yuki yipped goodbye before disappearing in another cloud of smoke.

"I'm sorry, Hatake-san, I would love to stay here and chat morality with you, but the Kazekage has summoned me," he told the distracted jounin, whose lone obsidian eye focused on him again.

"That fox…" he began, but Eien raised a hand to cut him off.

"One of my summons, her orders are to stay with Kazekage-sama in case he needs me while I'm gone, as he does now. If you would please excuse me, Hatake-san." He told the silver haired man.

Kakashi stared at him, that information was important somehow, but its meaning escaped him. He could not remember. He nodded his consent, and watched as the younger man began his hand seals.

After Eien disappeared, Kakashi also left the abandoned apartment building, and headed towards the library, determined to figure out what was so important about the fox summoning contract that eluded him. He didn't realize until he reached the enourmous library that the Suna nin never really answered his questions about his connection to Naruto Uzumaki.

He did not notice the midnight black fox that followed him.

* * *

Gomen nasia for being so late, I just started my job, and haven't had much time to write, and anytime I do, my muse eludes me. It's frustrating! Flame-sempai is still missing off of the face of the Earth, and I think I'll start posting 'Missing' signs around in hope of someone finding her. Neko-chan is useless as a beta, no offense to Neko-chan meant; she really can't spell very well. Tamako-san is busy with her practice and has no time to help, and I'm ranting! (sigh) I'm gonna go take a shower, I hope you guys liked that small insight with Kakashi.


	7. Chapter 6

This fic is a lot more popular than I thought it would be, and did I ever tell you guys that I love y'all? I'm serious, you guys are so patient! My computer was having some problems, and wouldn't even let me update, I personally think it hates me. Well, this one is pretty short, but only because the REALLY good stuff comes next chapter. Here comes the really short chapter!

**_Title: _**_Proving Them Right__**  
Pairing:**__ KakaNaru**  
Warnings:**__ Yaoi is always fun, and will show up eventually, along with the gore!**  
Disclaimer:**__ Six chapters and two one shots later, and I still have to say I don't own Naruto?**  
Random Trivia:**__ Does anyone else notice that all three members of Team 7 are being trained by the Sannin during the Time Skip? Naru-chan with Jiraiya, Sasuke with the pedo- er- Orochimaru, and Sakura with Tsunade! That just seems weird to me..._

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**Chapter 6**_

Kakashi sighed as he left the library. The trip had taught him nothing, because the book on the fox summoning had mysteriously disappeared some time ago, according to the librarian.

The small black fox flitted around the shadows, listening intently as the silver haired jounin talked to himself, making sure to stay downwind so that Kakashi's amazing sense of smell didn't pick up on him.

He was still a bit irritated that the Suna ANBU had not answered his question, and didn't even take out his infamous orange book as he made his way to his own apartment.

When he reached his apartment building, he stopped and turned around. There was something off, and had been so since he had left the building that had once housed the young Kyuubi kid. He sliced his thumb on a kunai and summoned his dog Pakkun.

"Yo, boss. What's up?" the deceptively small dog asked when he poofed into existence.

Kakashi eye-smiled at the little dog, and bent down to pet him. As he did, he whispered in the dog's ear, "I think something is following me, but my senses can't pick u on it. Must be downwind. How about you?" Pakkun nodded and raised his nose to the wind, and both dog and shinobi heard the almost inaudible poof of chakra. Kakashi glanced down at Pakkun, who shook his head; he had not had enough time to pick up the scent.

Kakashi sighed and let the dog go back home before hoping through his own window. He stripped down to his boxers, taking off his mask and hitai-ate, then sunk onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling, thinking.

He thought he knew who was following him, but why would Eien have one of his foxes on Kakashi's tail?

What was so important about the fox summoning contract?

~~~~ On the Other Side of Town: Hokage Tower~~~~

Eien let Kon go, thinking about what the black fox had to report. So the copy-nin was curious about the fox contract. He was suddenly very glad that Kyuubi had told him to steal the book on it from the library, else all of his plans would go to waste.

Kakashi, it seems, either did not realize, or did not remember, that in order to sign the fox summoning contract, one had to have the approval of the boss fox, Kyuubi, and as Kyuubi was supposedly sealed in a child's body, getting permission would be difficult. Unless you were that child.

Eien sat back in the desk chair with a sigh. Hearing his old name had been a slight shock, and, though he was certain Kakashi hadn't noticed his reaction at the time, there was no stopping him from looking back at the memory and realizing it. He would have to do something about that.

A knock on the door brought him back to earth, and he quickly henged into Gaara, who was asleep at the moment. It wouldn't do for an ANBU to be seen sitting in the desk meant for his Kage.

The changes had settled when Danzou was wheeled in by one of his Root operatives, a black haired boy with a creepy, empty smile. Eien recognized him from the reports of his spy. Sai, whose favorite weapon was ink and a scroll. It hardly sounded frightening, but Eien knew how deadly a little ink could be.

Danzou shifted slightly in his wheelchair, noticing that the Kazekage had not greeted him, instead focusing on the boy behind him. He cleared his throat to get the red head's attention, and was rewarded by icy green eyes meeting his.

"I know you wanted to settle in before we signed the treaty, and I just came to ask how your men like their quarters." Danzou said, his voice laced with false respect. Eien raised the brow that was supposed to be there.

"Fine." he answered. It took the crippled Hokage a moment to realize the boy would not expand on that.

Sai wasn't sure about this guy. He had run into him earlier, and the red head had just ignored him. Now he apparently found Sai more interesting than the Hokage. And something was different about his chakra... it seemed... for lack of a better word, red.

"Have you heard about the seats of Mizukage, Raikage, and Tsuchikage have all been passed on to new successors? All around the same time. Just before you succeeded your father as Kazekage." Danzou said, and did not see the brief, slight smile on the Kazekage's lips, but Sai did.

He was wondering what it could imply when he felt it. The same chakra the Kazekage had possessed when he had passed him in the hall. But, that was impossible! He glanced at the red head in the chair in front of him, and suddenly, from another room, a Suna ANBU walked in.

The Kazekage seemed just as shocked for a moment, but recovered quickly.

"Ah, Eien, there you are. I was about to send Yuki out to you again. Please come here for a second." He said, motioning to the silent fox masked man. The man nodded and walked to his Kage. Just as he was beside the red haired man, the room was filled with chakra smoke.

Sai grabbed a kunai out of his pouch and stood in front of the Hokage, ready to face any enemy.

As the smoke cleared, instead of revealing a foreign Nin, a small white fox was seen slipping to her place under the Kazekage's desk.

"Yuki, you should know to announce yourself before showing up." The ANBU said emotionlessly, sheathing his onyx colored katana. The fox yipped gleefully from her hiding place.

The ANBU turned back to the Hokage and bowed deeply.

"I apologize for the sudden interruption. I shall take my leave now." He said.

As the man walked back out the door, Gaara was glad for the fox's timing. He had heard voices from his temporary office, and had come to investigate. He had peered into the room using the third eye, and was surprised to see Eien talking to the Hokage, henged to look like him.

Taking in the situation, and realizing Eien had probably wanted to escape, he henged into his Master's ANBU form and entered the room. When Eien had called him over, he was planning to throw a smoke bomb down to distract the visitors. Yuki always did have the best timing, making his plan unnecessary. While the two Konoha Nin had been distracted by her sudden appearance, Gaara and Eien had traded places, undoing their henge.

Eien pretended slight panic for the life of his Kage, and acted as any ANBU would have, though he knew the source of the smoke.

When Yuki's smoke cleared, Eien, who personally hated meetings of any kind, excused himself. Gaara was better at this sort of thing anyway.

~~~~Minutes Later: Hokage Monument~~~~

Eien stared out at the sleeping village, his hand resting on the shoulder of a horse sized, red fox that had nine elegant tails swaying around it restlessly.

Kyuubi felt his Kit's nostalgia, as they stood together on the Sandaime's head, the only person who ever accepted Kit in this whole damn village. Eien looked down at the peaceful scene and smiled beneath his mask.

"Kyuu, sometimes, late at night, I wonder, are we doing the right thing?" the teenager whispered to the demon, who rumbled deep in his chest. "But… then I remember that night, and every night before it. And I know we are." He finished with a bitter note. Kyuubi chuckled, and licked his lips in anticipation.

"_**Kit, it's almost time to take your revenge. Every kick, blow, and insult will be turned back on them tenfold. Remember your promise to every person who joins? Now it's time to fulfill it for yourself." **_Kyuubi's deep voice echoed in his head through their link, and Eien sighed.

"Not yet. Soon, but not now. I have to let Haku map the place out, and Zabuza is looking for people who may be able to be spared, people I didn't know. Kaito is looking for the orphanages, and Rokubi has one of his kids keeping watch on the children that do have parents. As soon as we have everything ready, we leave, let them relax for a while, get confidant. Then, we strike." Kyuubi's loud, roaring laugh echoed with those last words.

~~~~Meanwhile: Kakashi's Apartment~~~~

Kakashi sat up in bed, dripping in sweat and gasping for breath. He had dreamed of the night the Kyuubi had come to Konoha. At first he thought that it was just a nightmare, but then he felt it.

That chakra, it was just as he remembered, though watered down, weaker.

His mind went back to the night three bodies hung in the gateway, the bloody message carved in their flesh, and knew the promised time was coming. And there was nothing Konoha could do about it.

* * *

HE WILL KEEL YOU ALL!!!! ^^U Yep, no flashback this chapter, couldn't find a place to slip it in. My muse is being evil and playing idea Russian Roulette. And winning. Everything it's shooting me is blank! (sigh) Well, here's the super short chapter, but I swear the next chapter will be better!


	8. Chapter 7

I'm sooo sorry that it's been so long! My roommate made my computer implode. I'm not kidding; my baby went 'BOOM'! She set it on our heater thing. I think she did it on purpose, because there's a picture of it… Well, at least it was insured… now I have an Acer Aspire One Netbook! I wanted black, but it's blue… And then there's this really crazy story, but if you want to know it, you need to go check out my profile… Well, that's enough about me, on with the show!

**_Title:_** _Proving Them Right__**  
Pairing:**__ KakaNaru… eventually.  
**Warnings**__**:**__ After 6 chapters I still have to tell you there's gonna be yaoi and gore?__**  
Disclaimer:**__ (talking slowly) Let me put this plainly, I. DON'T. OWN. NARUTO. Plain enough?_

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**  
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**_Chapter 7_**

Kakashi sat up in bed, breathing raggedly. That chakra, though it was watered down, was the same as that night, so many years ago.

"Kyuubi." He whispered to the dark room, as the light of dawn barely brushed the curtains. That name haunted his dreams almost as much as his clan house did, though for very different reasons. His clan house was a broken home; Kyuubi's name meant a broken promise to one of the people that mattered most.

He threw on his clothes and swung out the window, intent on finding out where the demon's chakra was coming from.

~~~~Meanwhile: Hokage Monument~~~~

"You know, it's funny, Kyuu. Jiji died while trying to kill hebi-teme only a few months before the bastard ticked me off enough to kill him myself. I guess I got the old man's revenge. As the only person who actually liked me in this village, I think he deserved that much, right?" Eien asked as he and Kyuubi perched on top of the Sandaime's head, carved in the face of the Hokage Monument.

Kyuubi sighed regretfully. The man's soul had been transferred, and was not as good as it should have been. Such a waste of good food.

Eien laughed at Kyuubi's thoughts and patted the demon's flank. "Glutton." He teased.

Both of them felt them felt the approaching presence, and recognized it at the same time.

"It seems Hatake-san is planning on crashing yet another party. I'm sorry, Kyuu." Kyuubi nodded and disappeared into the teenager's body. Eien put his mask back on and turned to greet his visitor.

Kakashi panted as he arrived at the source of the chakra, moments after it had suddenly vanished. Who he met at the monument didn't surprise him at all.

"Eien-san, a pleasure to see you again." He said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. The Suna ANBU's chakra lightened, showing that the boy wasn't affected by the jounin's tone.

"If you're here for a certain reason, Hatake-san, please speak up," was the boy's light reply.

"No, no reason, I just like the view from here." Kakashi lied smoothly, and Eien turned back to the sight of the village.

"Oh, really, I don't particularly see why." Eien murmured, looking out at the village.

Kakashi eyed the teenager suspiciously, though he was sure the other didn't notice. "And why not? It's certainly better than a bunch of sand."

"Ah, but sand, during the sunrise and sunset, glows like a field of diamonds. People, on the other hand, show their flaws. Flaunt them proudly." Eien sounded almost... angry, the silver haired man realized, and he grew even surer of his suspicion.

"Sand is but lifeless rock. People can change." He commented.

"People do not change; they only pretend to, the person they were is always under the surface. The desert is ever changing, though, and you are just too ignorant to its shifts to notice." Eien countered, remembering who had taught him to notice the shifts himself. Even now, so many years after the man's early and undeserved death, his voice floated through Eien's memory.

"_Naruto, look outside. What do you see?"_

"_A whole butt-load of sand." Was the frank response. A light chuckle peppered the air._

"_Yes, but there is also life in that sand." The voice said after the laughter had subsided._

"_How can pebbles so small that they couldn't even be called pebbles have life?"_

"_Because the desert breathes, Naruto, the same way you or I do. It moves. It knows more than you or I could possibly ever know."_

"_Nuh-uh! You know way more than a bunch of sand, Tetsu-san!" the boy shouted, and the man sighed._

"_You may not understand now, but you will, someday."_

"-ien-san, are you all right?" Kakashi's voice brought the teen reluctantly back to the present.

"I'm sorry, what was that, Hatake-san?" he asked, subtly shaking his head, as if trying to shake away the bitter-sweet memories.

"The sun is rising, and I was asking you if you had to get back to your duties, Naruto?" Kakashi was not disappointed. Eien, still slightly lost in thought, did not catch Kakashi's intentional slip.

"Yes, yes, I have duties…" He said absently. He was about to perform a shunshin without hand seals when he found a kunai pressed to his back.

"It's been a long time, Naruto-kun. No greetings for me?" Kakashi hissed. One hand held the kunai, the other went to fumble with the ties to the fox mask. Eien tried to move, but realized that not only was Kakashi holding a kunai to him, he had also put something on him that rendered him immobile. He didn't know of anything that did that anywhere else, so it was probably one of Konoha's secret techniques.

The silver haired ninja finally managed to get the ties undone, and caught the falling mask easily. Grabbing the boy's shoulders, he turned him, and took a good look. The boy's electric blue eyes burned with nothing but hatred, there was no fear. Whisker marks adorned thin cheeks, and full pink lips were drawn in a severe scowl. The hood the boy was wearing slid down, revealing a waterfall of silky blond tresses.

"It-it really is you…" Kakashi looked shocked, and didn't feel the approach of an unfamiliar chakra signal until it was too late. The last thing he saw were those petal-soft lips turning up into a cruel smile before his world fell to darkness.

"Thank you, Haku. I was worried that we would have to make some severe changes to our plans. Now we only have to make minor ones." Eien turned towards his oldest friend, who grinned behind his own porcelain mask.

"Eien, if you keep this up, I'm going to have to spank you again." The older boy teased, and Eien growled threateningly.

Haku was referring to just after the time they had met. Haku, only seven then, had announced that he didn't believe that such a shrimp could be their leader. He had proven how weak the then-four-year-old was by pulling down his pants, drawing him easily over his knee, and giving the squalling child ten sound smacks to his bare bottom.

Kyuubi though that this would be a good lesson on humility, and allowed it. The rest of the group found it insanely funny, and brought it up whenever they could, much to the blonde's embarrassment.

"One time, one freaking time, and you guys hold it over for me the rest of my life!!" The younger boy ranted, tying his mask back on and concealing his recognizable hair once again under the black hood. He slung Kakashi's limp body onto his shoulder.

"Come on." He growled. "This guy's absence will be noticed soon, I want to be out of this Kami-forsaken country before then. We have to go tell Gaara to pack it up and move it out." Both teenagers disappeared in a swirl of water.

~~~~Next Morning~~~~

"We're sorry to be departing so soon, Hokage-dono, but I'm sure the man's family will want to know of his demise as soon as possible." Gaara spoke to the Hokage, who glanced at the covered body again.

The man was one of the Kazekage's guards, who apparently got fatally wounded in a friendly spar with one of his comrades. The Kazekage found it necessary to accompany the body back to Suna, so the whole escort stood before the Great Gates, making last minute checks to their supplies.

"Of course, I understand." The war veteran lied, thinking of how soft this Kage was compared to his father, who would've just burnt the body and went on, not caring about the victim's family.

"I will be back once the man is buried, but that may take a while, as we also need to have a trial for the man who killed him, accident or not." Gaara told the bandaged man, who nodded, and waved for the sentries to open the immense gates.

As he watched the delegation dart into the trees, he couldn't help but feel there was something off about the whole situation, but couldn't quite put his finger on it. Worries of a paranoid old man, most likely.

He didn't know how much those worries were correct.

~~~~Suna: Three Days Later~~~~

Kakashi moaned, finally coming to. He was in a dark and dank dungeon, and the only thing he could hear was the echo of water dripping somewhere in the immense caverns.

He took a moment to get his bearings, first noticing that his weapons were gone and his clothes changed, though for some reason his mask was untouched. Polite kidnappers? Odd. Next he realized his leg was chained to the grimy wall, though the chain was long, allowing for free movement up to a certain extent. Finally he took a deep breath, and his nose was filled with the slightly must smell of hot sand.

Kakashi froze as a loud clanging echoed through the prison, followed by the light, steady patting of footsteps.

Eien, now clad in a flowing black kimono littered with pure white flowers, and not wearing the fox mask Kakashi had become accustomed to stepped into the feeble light that was cast by a lamp that was set by the Konoha nin's feet.

"Glad to see you're finally awake, Hatake-san. May I say, welcome to Suna." Kakashi watched the boy with distrustful eyes. He was surprised when he was handed a small platter filled with gourmet foods.

Then he got even more suspicious, what would've stopped the demon form adding poison to the food?

Eien, catching his reluctance, sighed. "If we had wanted you dead, do you think you would have woken up from your nap at all? No the food is not poisoned, and neither is the water." He reassured the jounin. When the man still didn't eat, he grunted in exasperation, grabbed the fork, and took a small bite of everything on the platter, ending with a small sip of the water.

"There, happy?" he huffed. Kakashi looked thoughtful for a moment before pointing somewhere with a gasp.

"What is that thing?" he cried, and Eien turned and studied the area where the ninja pointed. After a few minutes of asserting that there was nothing there, he faced the man again, only to find the patter and cu empty, and the fabric mask put back in its rightful place.

"How…? Never mind, I don't want to know. You might not realize it, Hatake-san, but you are one really lucky man. I was going to tress you up and torture you within an inch of your pitiful existence until a young man followed us, and cheerfully and painlessly provided me with any information you could have possibly had. I would have tied you to the walls, and let Zabuza play with you as much as he liked. Zabuza has lots of fun toys, knifes, senbons, spikes, and the like. You would be screaming in agony right now if not for my new friend." Eien told his prisoner cheerily, and Kakashi felt his just eaten lunch lurch in his stomach at the casual way the boy threatened his life.

Finally, after a few minutes, his stomach calmed down enough to ask. "W-who is your new friend?" It was said casually, as if he didn't care, even though disgust and hatred coursed through his body at the unknown traitor.

As if on cue, another clang and more footsteps bounced around the soggy walls, and a strangely familiar voice said, "Hello, Kakashi-san."

The prisoner gasped, and pointed an accusing finger at the figure. "You." He hissed.

* * *

And then he woke up! Just kidding, just kidding! I bet you all can guess who it is. If you can, you get a cookie! And a fudge brownie… mmm… fudge… Any~who, I'm sorry it took me so long, but here you are. I was fighting my muse about if we should introduce my OC this chapter or not. Don't worry, he won't really be that important, just there to move the story along. I killed him off before the story began, so you'll only meet him in a flashback. Okay, I'm off to go work on my other story, and then a cracky oneshot for Kimiko-chan ^^U Sorry once again that it took me so long… Hasta! Oh! I almost forgot, in case you're wondering how Kaka-chan didn't notice Haku-chan, that's because he was too shocked at actually seeing it was Naru-chan… now I'm really off!


	9. Chapter 8

Okay, so chapter 8! I started this earlier, but my computer shut off by itself, so now I'm rewriting it... Ah, well, I'm not as pissed about this than I was when I was writing my Psych fic... I had just gotten on a roll when all of a sudden the screen went blue. To answer your question, 'Krazed, no, I didn't kill her, but only because I wouldn't be able to afford our apartment by myself. I _did_, however, take advantage of the fact that she is a heavy sleeper, and poured those ice cream topper things on her face while she slept. You know, chocolate, caramel, butterscotch, sprinkles, whipped cream, and a marachino cherry, the works. She didn't wake up, and looked rather tasty. (Evil Grin) And I just have to say, whipped cream, $2, Bottled toppings, $3 each, cherries, $6, her face in the morning, _priceless_! Okay, on to the story!

**_Title:_**_ Proving Them Right**  
Pairing:**__ KakakakakakakakakakakakaNarunarunarunarunarunaru (Do you know how fun it is to type that?)**  
Warnings:**__ Yaoi and gore galore! And you may actually see some of the gore this chater, if I feel like it...**  
Disclaimer:**__ Kishimoto was supposed to give me the Naruto characters for my birthday, but, instead, he gave me plushies. So, until the cheapskate keeps his promise, I don't own Naruto... (pouts and cuddles plushies)_

_

* * *

  
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**_Chapter 8_**

**_Recap_**

_Finally, after a few minutes, his stomach calmed down enough to ask. "W-who is your new friend?" It was said casually, as if he didn't care, even though disgust and hatred coursed through his body at the unknown traitor._

_As if on cue, another clang and more footsteps bounced around the soggy walls, and a strangely familiar voice said, "Hello, Kakashi-san."_

_The prisoner gasped, and pointed an accusing finger at the figure. "You." He hissed._

_

* * *

  
_

Sai looked at the silver haired man with amusement, "Yes, me. Points for originality." The boy said sarcastically, examining his flawless fingernails. Eien watched the exchange with a grin.

"I take it you know each other?" He asked both ninja, though he already knew the answer.

"Ah, Eien-sama, my presence may surprise him, but the fact that _those two_ are here will make him question his sanity. Besides the fact one is supposed to be dead, and the other is considered a mass murderer, I read his record, and he was _his_ taicho." Sai murmured to the blond. whose smile turned slightly demonic. Kakashi wondered who _those two_ were, and which of his former teammates is _him._

"An excellent idea! Brilliant! Remind me to tell Haku to give you a bonus before you go back to Konoha. I suppose I should summon them now, before he guesses who we're talking about." Eien bit his thumb ruthlessly, and rubbed his blood on the grimy wall of the cavern. In moments a small red fox, about the size of a kitten, 'poof'-ed into existence.

"Hello Chihiru, could you please get Weasel and Tiger for me, and tell them to come down to the dungeons?" He asked the fox politely. The small kitsune grinned, showing off abnormally sharp teeth.

"Sure boss-man, but first, I have a message from Kyuubi-sama, he says you're gonna have some fun with the mortal, and asks that you mentally record his reaction so that my Lord can watch it whenever he wants." Chihiru's voice was feminine and musical.

"Fine, fine. Oh, could you also ask Gaara to check on the jutsus on the children's memories, at the last city it was removed somehow, and _that_ was a disaster. I do not want a repeat." Eien ordered, and Chihiru bowed her head slightly before disappearing.

Kakashi watched all of this in interest, his still slightly foggy brain taking in information, and something clicked.

"Sai called you Eien-sama, you called the Kazekage by his name, and you have the most powerful and abundant chakra I have ever encountered, save for the Kyuubi no Kitsune himself. You don't work for the Kazekage, do you? He works for you." The dazed ninja murmured, and Eien raised an eyebrow.

"My, aren't you a sharp one? Most wouldn't pick up on that, or would dismiss it as impossible. Yes, the new Kazekage is not the one in charge. But he is not the only Kage I have in my power... Sai!" The raven jumped as he was addressed. He was enjoying the blond's obvious flaunt of power.

"Yes?" He asked finally.

"Could you please tell our... guest what other kages call me their master?" Was the order, and Sai obliged with glee.

"The Mizukage of Kirigakure, the Raikage of Kumogakure, the Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, the Otokage of Oto, the Hoshikage of Hoshigakure, and the leader of Amegakure, which lacks a kage title. Not to mention the various small towns that are not considered Hidden villages. Eien's power reigns over all but Konohagakure." He said smugly, watching Kakashi's face pale steadily with each title that was held by one of Eien's minions.

"I-impossible." The man could finally gasp. Before either Eien or Sai could respond, the door creaked open, and two sets of footsteps made their way to the three men.

Once they stepped into the light, they were revealed to be the two ANBU that were with Eien as he visited his old apartment. Kakashi stared at the figures, and noticed that deep in the recesses of the eye holes, both men's irises were made of red backgrounds, with commas spinning madly. This was too much for the Konoha ANBU. He began to talk heatedly to himself.

"No. No no no. Not possible. This is all just an odd dream. I'll wake up in my bed, and none of this will have happened. Naruto Uzumaki died in the woods, unable to care for himself. The Kazekage didn't come to visit. Sai did not defect. THE LAST TWO UCHIHAS ARE DEAD!" He roared, and all but Eien flinched at the sudden volume. The captured nin started to struggle against his bonds, tearing at the lock around his ankle.

Eien sighed as he watched the crazed man for a few more moments, then turned to his companions.

"And I didn't even have you remove your masks. What an easily distressed person. I suppose` we will leave him to his ravings for now. Sai, you need to return to Konoha before they notice your absence, and if you can, come u with some excuse for this lunatic's disappearance. Tell Haku to give you this much as a bonus for the idea that drove our dear guest mad." Holding out a piece of paper, Eien handed it to the raven, who nodded before being engulfed by chakra smoke.

Shooting one last glance at the now dramatically sobbing jounin, Eien led Weasel and Tiger back to the surface.

* * *

It had been three days when Eien finally reentered the dungeon. The girls he had sent to bring meals to the prisoner all reported the same thing. The man pumped them for information, which they all refused to give him. One told the 'master' that she had heard the man come to a decision about Sai.

Apparently the jounin thought the Ne operative was a spy sent by Danzo to see what he could find out about Suna, and had gotten a whole lot more information than thought possible.

Too bad he was wrong. He knew that Ne operatives were loyal to the person that held power, he just didn't realize that Eien held more power than Danzo could ever dream possible, and Sai had realized that. Not to mention Kyuubi could detect lies.

As Eien made his way down into the damp chamber, he met the slightly crazed obsidian eye of his captive.

With a flourish, he set down the tray that held the man's breakfast. "I didn't think you would break so fast." He quipped, and was met with a blank eyed stare. "You're no fun, really, Hatake-san, you weren't awake even an hour before you went insane. Where is the fun in that? Was it such a shock? Sai took it well when I told him, you just seem to have a weaker mind." Eien goaded, trying to draw Kakashi into a fight, or to talk, _anything._ No reaction.

Until he said, "You know, once I had calmed down, about a year after I left, someone was able to convince me that Konoha wasn't all at fault, and that there was no need for revenge. I believed him, I was really going to let it go, live my life peacefully with that man.

"W-what happened?" Kakashi croaked, interested in this insight into the mind of the man that ruled the continent. Blue eyes met black, deadly serious, and the teenager began his story, the gourmet food forgotten.

_**Flashback: 9 Years Ago**_

_"Tetsu-san! Tetsu-san!" The excitable blond six year old tackled the man's knees as he walked into the small cabin. The man was tall, almost 6' 6'', around 45, with laugh lines etched around his sparkling green eyes and thin lips. His laugh echoed over the desert dunes as he bent down to embrace the child._

_"Naruto." His voice rumbled like thunder on the horizon, and the child felt like he could listen to it forever. "I was only gone for a day. You couldn't have possibly missed me that much."_

_Naruto shook his head quickly. "Tetsu-san, you went to Konoha. People there are evil. I was worried." He claimed, and caused the man to sigh._

_"Naruto, you are too young to mistrust so easily. There is some good that resides in the Village Hidden In The Leaves." He murmured, and the boy looked defiant._

_"Oh yeah? Name one person, just one, that wouldn't judge me because I hold Kyuu inside me." Blue eyes were far too old, far too hard, to match the chubby face they were set in._

_Tetsu immediately said, "Hokage-sama." and flashed a triumphant grin at Naruto's pout._

_"No fair, I meant anyone _but_ Jiji. That's-" The boy froze, and lifted his nose to the air, inhaling like an animal. "I don't know who they are, but they're coming, and they're not happy." He finally said, and the man got the gist. His green eyes widened with shock, then narrowed with anger._

_"Naruto, go hide, and don't come out, no matter what you hear. Even if I am screaming, you must promise me that you won't come to my aid." When Naruto refused to make such a promise, the older man could only do what he had to. He quickly stuck a senbon, that was previously hidden in the sleeve of his robe, into a nerve in the boy's neck. _

_The world faded from Naruto's sight, and the last thing he heard was, "You will understand someday, but for now, Naruto, live, and be happy, it's what your parents would have wanted."_

_The blond woke hours later to find he had been stashed in the secret chamber below the living room rug. He clambered out, and realized hours had passed since Tetsu had knocked him unconcious, that it was dark outside. And something didn't feel right. "Tetsu-san?" He called nervously. He wondered room to room, finally coming to the entrance hall. That was where he found them._

_Six bodies of both genders littered the floor, all with the mask of the Ne division of ANBU, from Konoha. In the middle of that carnage was the one thing he had prayed to the God he had long since stopped believing in that he would not see. Old blood pooled around the body, turning the elegant white robe a rusty red, and green eyes stared unseeingly at the ceiling. The back of the man's bald head was collapsed, and pink goo was oozing through the cracks. His chest was carved open from his collar bone to his stomach, and opened to reveal broken ribs and pulverized organs._

_"T-tetsu-san!" The boy gasped as his stomach rolled, and everything he had eaten that day came up violently. He didn't remember summoning Kyuu, but he felt one of the foxes tails rap comfortingly around him, lifting him onto the demon's back. Kyuubi walked out of the house, and one of his tails swept back to set it on fire, and the hungry flame devoured the wooden timber and flesh and bone of the victims of fate._

_Naruto never looked back, and the memories of his time with the grandfatherly man became nightmares, twisted by the sight of the man's mangled body. Over time even the nightmares came less frequently._

_Not only was Eien carrying out his own revenge, now, he was avenging the wise man that died because he was too strong._

_**End Flashback**_

Eien didn't notice the single, lonely tear that made it's way down his whiskered cheek, but Kakashi did. The story was tragic, and until the seemingly unfeeling dictator had let that one tear go, the jounin thought it was made up.

But no one could fake the utter despair in the blue eyes, the haunting misery as the blond lost himself in memories that he didn't recount.

Finally the teenager's eyes snapped to the present, and he realized he had just told the story that no one else knew, that not even Gaara had heard, to this almost absolute stranger.

What was it that compelled him to reveal his deepest secret to this man?

* * *

I seriously cried while writing that flashback, like, pouring tears. Just picture it, Naruto finally trusts someone, and Konoha rips him away. You'll find out why eventually. But for now, it's bedtime! Oyasumi nasai!


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9, chapter 9, how wonderful is that? So many reviews! Ooh! I made a SasuNaru AMV, to the song of Bumble Bee. I'd give y'all the link, but this probably won't let me, so just look up SasuNaru Bumble Bee on youtube. My name on there is HiddenInTheDark15. It wouldn't let me put '-ness'. Stupid. Any~who, I didn't want to type out the reason why I haven't posted in a while three times, so if you want to know, go to my profile. And vote, while you're there. It doesn't matter if you aren't reading **_Protecting From The Shadows_**, I just need more votes. Choose your favorite couple or whatever. Anyway, on to the story.

**_Title:_**_ Proving Them Right_

**_Pairing:_**_ KakaNaru, because hot+hot=smokin' freaking hot_

**_Warning:_**_ If you don't know by now, why should I even bother putting it? You obviously didn't read it the other eight times_

**_Disclaimer:_**_ I am a pasty white American. Kishimoto is a copper skinned Japanese citizen. That is about the only polite way I could put it._

**_Chapter 9_**

**_Recap:_**

_Finally the teenager's eyes snapped to the present, and he realized he had just told the story that no one else knew, that not even Gaara had heard, to this almost absolute stranger._

_What was it that compelled him to reveal his deepest secret to this man?_

_~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~  
_

The silence between them was loaded, but Eien decided to leave it that way for only a moment. He rose gracefully from the damp and dirty ground, then he hesitated, and his eyes, warmed slightly from the telling of his closest kept secret, widened, then froze until they were ice cold. "He did that, huh?" He murmured to himself. Kakashi didn't know that Eien sent a henged clone into Konoha to find out more about him, and the clone had just returned its information to it's master.

"Hatake-san, evidence has been brought to light that, on the night of the Kyuubi attack, my father, the Yondaime Hokage, entrusted you with one task, and _one task only,_ and that was to watch over me. Obviously, you failed miserably, and, to my reports, often got drunk at a bar instead, using _my_ inheritance to fund that disgusting habit." The trusting atmosphere was gone as the blond hissed his findings. The silver haired man winced, knowing it was all true, and that there was nothing he could say to make it seem otherwise. Eien saw the man's obvious distress, and decided to hammer the last nail into the man's coffin. "You father would be ashamed of you. _My_ father would be ashamed of you. With that money that you carelessly wasted, I could have gotten a decent apartment at least. I could have restored the Clan House I didn't know about at the time. I wouldn't have killed those monsters, Hatake-san, because they wouldn't have been able to get to me. I wouldn't have run away. How does it feel to indirectly be your own village's worst enemy?" Eien took joy in Kakashi's freely falling tears.

"And to top it all off, on the third anniversary of the Kyuubi's sealing, and the Yondaime's death, you beat Naruto Uzumaki, the child I once was, until I was at death's door... or... more accurately, at the bars of the Kyuubi's cage."

_**Flashback: 12 Years Ago, October 10th**_

_Naruto huddled in his bed, quivering slightly. Today had been the worst day of his short life. People jeered at him worse than ever, tripping him purposely, and trampling him carelessly. Jiji had warned him about something like this, but the boy, in normal three-year old fashion, paid no heed, wandering the streets of Konoha like it was any other day._

_How wrong he was. The shopkeepers, usually tolerant o him if he came in to buy something, locked him out of their stores. The adults whispered threats loud enough for him to hear, glaring at him angrily. Their children, picking up on their paren't obvious anger, glared too, angry at him for no better reason than he made the adults angry._

_So Naruto took refuge in the small apartment the Hokage had gotten for him after he had been ruthlessly expelled from the orphanage where he had spent the first years of his miserable existence._

_At first the apartment had been relatively nice, the pain unchipped, the windows clean, and no bugs skulking in the kitchen. Then the villagers had found out about his new residence, and now, whenever Naruto came home from wandering, or visiting Jiji, he found something else broken, or more graffiti, or that his refrigerator stood open and empty, though he had restocked it fully the day before._

_At one point he even found out that the people had paid an Aburame to come convince a clutch of cockroaches to infest his kitchen._

_So Naruto shook on his slashed futon, under ripped sheets, waiting for tomorrow to dawn._

_"H-happy birthday t-t-to me..." He sobbed lightly, then froze as his sharp ears picked up the sounds of someone fiddling with the locks on his window. "No!" He gasped, and slid from the futon onto the floor, then into a corner, hidden by the darkness that had invaded hours before. The person who was outside finally managed to succeed, and slipped almost noiselessly into the black room, though the blond heard the soft sounds of cloth against the window frame._

_"I know where you are, demon-brat. I can smell you. If you come out now, I promise this will be painless." The deep voice rang through the relative silence, slightly slurred, revealing the man to be drunk, if the scent of alcohol that wafted from him to the boy's sensitive nose hadn't convinced him of such._

_Kakashi felt powerful, invulnerable, unbeatable, and knew it was the right time to take his sensei's revenge against the demon. A small, childish voice responded form the corner he knew the monster crouched in. "They all say it will be painless, quick, and humane. It never is, Ninja-san. I don't really know why I'm still alive." The sadness in the child's voice didn't stir anything in the ANBU except disgust. Just like a fox to use the guise of a young one to fool everybody into a false sense of security._

_"You're right, monster. This won't be painless. For you, anyway, but for me, I will find it quite enjoyable. I will take the revenge of everyone you've ever killed." He shouted, withdrawing a lethally sharp shurukin, and tossing it lazily at the figure he couldn't see. A cry of pain was his reward._

_Naruto cried out as the star dug into the flesh of his stomach, almost deep enough to rupture the organ, and cause the acid to begin to poison his own blood stream. He tugged the weapon out with a hiss, knowing there was more to come from this man._

_As always, he shouted at his assailant, "But I've never ever killed _anybody_! Why do people like you always say that?!" Tears coursed down his whiskered cheeks, and the darkness blurred. Suddenly, cutting through his dispair, he came face to face with the man, and looked right into a glowing red eye. When he was able to look away, they were no longer in his pitiful rooms, but a field bathed in scarlet light. It was then that he noticed he was tied securely to a post._

_He finally saw his attacker for the first time. It was a young man, in his early twenties, his most dominating feature was a tower of silver hair that stood on end, defying every law of gravity. One of his eyes was obsidian, while the other was a glowing, angry red with commas spinning madly in its depths. The Sharingan. Naruto could not see the rest of his face due to the tight blue mask the man wore._

_"W-where are we?" The blond asked fearfully, even though he knew. He had been to a place like this before, when he was attacked by an angry Uchiha after he had accidentally tripped into the man's path._

_"You don't need to know that, monster, all you need to know is that I will take this kunai," the man held up one of the few weapons the boy could recognize, before continuing, "And in the next three days, I will stab you repeatedly, doubling the number each time, until you break and admit that you are truly the demon." And with that, the silver haired man began, slowly cutting away at the small body, taking joy in each whimper and sob. For him the three day passed quickly, though the Kyuubi hadn't admitted that he was truly the one in control._

_For Naruto, the seventy-two hours passed excruciatingly slowly, and though he was exhausted, his small form broken, the only sounds he let passed his chapped and bleeding lips were sounds indicating his pain. He would have given the man anything so he would stop, but he didn't have a clue what it _was_!_

_Finally the red landscape faded around him, and he was back in his dilapidated room. Collapsing onto the floor, Naruto collapsed into blissful darkness, not feeling the blows the silver-haired man rained down on his body._

_The new scene was nothing like the place in the Sharingan. Naruto looked around warily, aware that he was unhindered, but still, didn't trust the situation. After making sure no one was going to jump from the shadows and end his life, the blond began to make his way forward, passing hallways and doors, intent on reaching _there_. Where, he had no idea, but he had the feeling that something was calling him._

_Finally he arrived at a large antechamber, and stilled as the sounds of a large pair of lungs drawing air echoed around the room._

_"H-hello?" He called, not knowing why he didn't just back out of the room and hightail his ass to the exit._

_**"Uzumaki Naruto."**__ The voice was deep and ominous, booming from the other end of the room. Though the voice was scary, the tone was anything but, and the boy found himself slowly approaching the direction the voice came from._

_"W-who are you?" Naruto asked, as large steel bars finally loomed out of the darkness._

_**"I am the King of Demons, human. I am the monster that every person secretly fears. I am the being that brought this 'powerful' nation to its knees."**__ The voice retorted, and it didn't need to say more._

_"K-kyuubi." The three-year-old said on a breath, and, behind the bars, where only vague shapes were before, and red snout pressed against the bars._

_**"Child, for too long have I been sealed within your body, doomed to watch you suffer at the hands of these foolish villagers. Times of pain that span before your mind could comprehend what your body was feeling. Let me out of this cage, child, and out of your body, for it is time for revenge!"**__ Kyuubi roared, but the blond head slowly shook._

_"I'm sorry, Kyuubi-sama, but I can't let you do that. Some people may hate me, for a reason I now understand. They think that you and I are one and the same. If I am here, I suppose that means the man who was beating me did not succeed in killing me. I will do whatever it takes to prove these people wrong, to get them to accept me. Please understand. I will do research on seals that will allow you to roam my mind freely, but that's all I am willing to do." He murmured, and the yokai felt grudging respect._

_**"Fine, kit, have it your way. I will settle for that... for now."**__ That was the last thing Kyuubi said before Naruto began to feel consciousness drag at his body, pulling him from his mind scape and into the real world._

_He awoke in the hospital, and was told by the Hokage that he was found, alone, near death, in his apartment the day after his birthday. Naruto never told Jiji about the man who had tried to kill him, prefering to keep this a secret between him, and his new friend, Kyuubi._

_**Flashback End**_

"I-i don't remember any of it!" Kakashi exclaimed fervently, appalled with himself.

"I don't doubt that, Hatake-san. After all, you spent the first four years after my birth in a permanent state of inebriation. I bet you could hardly remember your own name the next morning. I don't know why I didn't see it before, the silver hair, the mask, the Sharingan. It was all so obvious. Perhaps it was the distinct lack of the scent of sake." Eien said, looking down at the crying man disdainfully.

"H-haven't touched a drop since you left. I-i failed him. I failed you. I failed Konoha. I couldn't stand to look myself in the face!" The Konoha nin proclaimed. Eien turned away.

"Unfortunately, that won't turn back time." Eien smooth voice followed him out of the light. Kakashi truly let himself go with the clang of the metal door he had yet to see.

* * *

There we go, a nice, cheery chapter to lighten everyone's day, no? No? Damn, and that's what I was going for, too. Ah, well, better luck next time, I suppose. What did y'all think? A bit of angst to spice up this nice fluffy fic? Note the sarcasm in the last six sentences. Yep, this was going to turn out totally different. I had planned for Kakashi and Eien ti have another heart-to-heart, but my mood flipped, and this is what happened instead. I'd get more into detail about the evolution of Naruto's and Kyuubi's relationship, but I'm ehausted. I just thought y'all deserved two updates for being such patient people. My next update will be chapter one of my NCIS fic, but that won't happen tonight. Hasta la past, peeps (Giant yawn, sleepy wave)


	11. Chapter 10

I soooooo sorry. I wish I had an excuse, but the only one I can truly use is the depression that showed itself during my last chapter deepened, and I would have ended up just killing everybody. I read this story that described exactly what would have happened perfectly, 'Rocks fall and everybody dies.' A great Harry Potter story that I got addicted to, that, in the end, was the main thing that pulled me through, so I owe big thanks to Emma Lipardi, tough I don't think she knows how much she helped me… Any~who, on with the story!

Disclaimer: Of course I own Naruto… (listens) Does anybody hear sirens? Oh crap! Y'all never saw me! (runs away)

* * *

_"I-i don't remember any of it!" Kakashi exclaimed fervently, appalled with himself._

_"I don't doubt that, Hatake-san. After all, you spent the first four years after my birth in a permanent state of inebriation. I bet you could hardly remember your own name the next morning. I don't know why I didn't see it before, the silver hair, the mask, the Sharingan. It was all so obvious. Perhaps it was the distinct lack of the scent of sake." Eien said, looking down at the crying man disdainfully._

_"H-haven't touched a drop since you left. I-i failed him. I failed you. I failed Konoha. I couldn't stand to look myself in the face!" The Konoha nin proclaimed. Eien turned away._

_"Unfortunately, that won't turn back time." Eien smooth voice followed him out of the light. Kakashi truly let himself go with the clang of the metal door he had yet to see._

_~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~  
_

Zabuza Momochi wandered the vast halls of the Kazekage Tower, calling, "Eien-sama? Haku? Hello? Gaara! Anybody?" His deep voice rebounded off the high ceilings, echoing his sentiments. Finally he gave up, and with a sigh, settled into the couch that inhabited one of the alcoves that peppered the humongous building, and allowed himself to do something that he hadn't done in a while, contemplate who he was now, and how he got there.

Mizukage of Kirigakure, a position he thought he would never have.

And it all started when he met that blond brat.

_**Flashback: 9 Years Ago**_

_He and his apprentice had settled in a small town that resided on the outskirts of a hidden village that had just been established, called Otogakure._

_Usually the man would choose a place that was less likely to try to take him down for the bounty on his head, but he and Haku were here for a certain reason._

_They were following the rumors of a new assassin group that interested Zabuza. According to some of the people he talked to (under a henge, of course) the group was made up totally of runaway kids, and they had never failed a mission._

_A load of bull, of course, but it still peaked the missing nin's interest. And so he dragged Haku to the small town where the rumors claimed the assassin group made base._

_Zabuza told the ten-year-old that he was taking a nap, and to go gather herbs for that headache cure of his. Haku, thinking nothing of it, agreed, and, gathering up his basket, bustled out of the inn, not noticing his maser following him in the trees. _

_The man thought that if the group was really made up of brats, then Haku would be good bait. He wasn't disappointed._

_Not long after Haku had started gathering in a small clearing by a large lake, just off the road, a blond boy stumbled down the road, leaning heavily on the back of a dark furred animal, most likely a dog._

_The blond kid was covered in cuts and bruises, and was limping heavily. Haku, being the compassionate boy he was, cried out in shock, dug some salve and bandages out of the pack slung on his back, and ran to the other child._

_As soon as Haku drew near, the blond boy looked up, blue eyes weary. "Who are you?" The kid demanded._

_Zabuza hopped to a nearer tree and waited to see if any of his lessons had sunk into the raven haired kid._

_Haku seemed to hesitate, before saying, "I'm Haku, an assistant medic-nin. Who are you, and who did this to you?" Good, vague occupation, no last name, and no village affiliation, the kid actually remembered something._

_The blond kid allowed Haku close enough to begin dressing the cuts on his arm. "Naruto." One word answer? Even better._

"_Naruto is who you are, or he is who did this to you?" Haku probed gently, moving on to the younger boy's legs._

"_My name is Naruto, and I got ambushed. Damn Ne…" The first part was spoken allowed, the last part to himself, though both Haku and Zabuza heard it._

_The name Naruto rang a distant bell in Zabuza's mind as he listened, but he couldn't place it. _

_The Ne, on the other hand, was something he was well acquainted with. ANBU Ne, or Root, was a secret faction of the Konoha ANBU force, though it was supposed to have been abolished years ago by the decree of the Sandaime Hokage._

_Apparently that didn't work. But why would Ne be after this kid? And if they were, how did the brat get away?_

_A gasp from below brought his attention back to the two children, and he saw that Haku had lifted Naruto's shirt to check for injuries hidden there, and found a wound that could only be done by a sword, and that was a little too close to the kid's heart for comfort. But it wasn't that that had the older boy in shock. It was the fact that before their eyes, the laceration was closing itself up at rapid, unnatural speeds._

_Naruto jumped up from the ground, away from the older boy. Some of the bandages on his arms fluttered to the ground, revealing that the wounds they had previously covered no longer existed._

_The animal stepped in front of its master, forgotten until then, and Zabuza realized it was a black fox. Finally the parts of the puzzle connected._

_Naruto Uzumaki, vessel of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, runaway from Konoha five years ago after the murder of three grown men. A hefty price was on that brat's head. Zabuza drew his sword quietly, ready to protect hi young protégée, when smoke flashed through the clearing, revealing five figures had joined the two boys._

_All of the new figures bowed as one to Naruto. The smoke cleared as the first figure stood. A young woman, her blond hair a few shades darker than Naruto's, observed the situation unsmilingly. She looked no older than twenty, though her dark eyes were much older, and wary enough to belong on an old man._

_The next to stand up was someone that was familiar to Zabuza. An urchin he had seen on the streets long before his banishment, before the attempted coup d'état was even planned. The vessel of the Rokubi no Namekuji. Still thin, though no longer painfully so, he was a small boy, a bit older than Naruto, though his hair was black, tinted blue, and his eyes were dark. A water pouch slung around his waist, and he twirled an odd pipe in his fingers._

_Naruto, who before had almost radiated innocence, changed, though not visibly. "Yuugito-chan, Utakata-kun, did you take care of the bodies?"_

_Yuugito, the girl nodded, saying, "Utakata sent their hitai-ates and your note to Konoha via snail mail."_

"_Slugs, Yuugito-chan, not snails." Utakata's voice was oddly monotone for a boy his age._

"_Ah, what's the difference? They're both slimy." Yuugito shrugged._

_One of the three remaining figures stood up, and opened his mouth to speak, but Naruto slapped a hand over his mouth._

"_Oh, no, Itachi-kun, I grow tired of your lectures, and I'm sure the others agree." The blond stated, and Zabuza was shocked to see he addressed a teenager. Upon closer look, it revealed the teen had long, dark hair, and black, disconcerting eyes. The boy who stood next to him bore an eerie resemblance, though he was only Naruto's age._

_It hit the missing nin then, Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha, the last two Uchihas, believed to be dead after the Massacre almost two years ago._

"_Yeah, Itachi-nii, we all… grow tired of it!" Sasuke appeared to be a typical kid, though, unlike the blond he had just imitated._

_The last to stand was the most shocking. No because of the blood red hair bestowed on him, or the baleful, pupil less eyes that swept the clearing, but because he was the most easily recognizable. Gaara no Subaku, youngest son of the Kazekage of Sunagakure, and vessel of the Shukaku no Ichibi._

"_Naruto-sama, we completed the mission, and the funds were transferred to the Yuumei's account, as agreed upon." Gaara drawled, ignoring the two bickering brothers beside him._

"_Perfect! Excellent! Good job everyone! You are free to go enjoy your cuts in the town at your leisure, but report back to camp by sunrise tomorrow. We have to pack up and head out." Naruto ordered. The group nodded, but and disappeared. "UTAKATA! Make sure you get your soap!"He called, though it seemed he was telling no one._

_Finally he turned to Haku, nodded, saluted the tree Zabuza was in jauntily, and seemed to evaporate into the air._

'Impossible, just a show for our benefit. There is no way that blond brat is the leader of an assassin group.'_ Zabuza thought, as he hopped down out of the tree, landing gently beside his tool._

_Haku didn't seem shocked to see him, and just chuckled before turning towards the town._

"_Are you coming Zabuza-san? We won't find out more about the Yuumei without going into town!" He called over his shoulder, leaving his master trotting to catch up, and mumbling about cursed girlish boys._

_**Flashback End**_

Afterwards, they had found Sasuke browsing a pocky stand, and followed him to the camp just before dawn, where Zabuza attempted to call them on their bluff.

It ended rather embarrassingly for him.

_**Flashback: 9 Years Ago**_

"_Naruto Uzumaki, if you are truly powerful enough to run a group like this, you'll be able to beat me with no problem." Zabuza called, standing outside the small circle of tents. A tussled blond head poked out of one of the tents and blue eyes studied him blurrily. The head disappeared, and the boy's voice, slurred with sleep, called, "It's almost two in the morning, you half-crazed pseudo-demon! Go away and come back at a reasonable time!"_

"_Why, so you can pack up and leave before I can beat your pansy ass into the ground? Think again munchkin!"_

_Another head appeared out of the tent, a man's with messy read hair and red, cat slitted eyes. He scowled at the late night/early morning visitors._

"_Leave my son alone at such an early hour, you idiot. You dare challenge a real demon while you piggy back on our reputations?" The man commanded. He stepped out of the tent._

"_Kyuu-chan! I'm tired, and if you kill him then his screams will keep me up all night." Naruto's voice yelled._

"_Fine, fine, Kit, I won't kill him. Can I toy with him at least?"_

_Zabuza wheeled backward. Kyuu- Kyuubi! And that brat was ordering him around? No, wait; it must be just another act. This was probably the real boss of the group, and the munchkins just answered to Naruto because he was in with the boss! (Though he didn't let his mind linger on what that might mean.)_

"_Fine, he's not going away, I'll take care of him." Naruto stumbled out of the tent, in a loose pair of pajama pants, a large white t-shirt, and a ridiculous sleeping cap that looked like some sort of animal eating his head._

_He focused blurrily in Zabuza's direction, "Kyuu, give me a hand, am I looking at him?"_

_The man, Zabuza refused to think of him as the demon fox, gave a long suffering sigh, "Yes, Naruto, you're looking at him. Try not to fall asleep while you're standing up again."_

"_Good. Okay… what was I doing? … Oh, yeah." All Zabuza felt was an extremely concentrated burst of killing intent; it felt like it was suffocating him, before he realized he really was suffocating!_

"_I have strong air affinity, and I froze the air in your lungs. You'll be out for a few hours in five…four…three…two…one."_

_And Zabuza's world turned black._

_**Flashback End**_

So the brat really was in charge, the man really was the demon fox, and Zabuza was really screwed. What else was new?

In the end Zabuza and Haku joined up, and the first thing Naruto did was abolish Zabuza's, what did he call it, 'bond of slavery' with Haku.

"Zabuza, if you don't snap out of it, I'm leaving you here." The voice of his lover roused him out of his thoughts, and he hooked an arm around the younger man's slim waist.

Haku's eyes lit up with humor, and he swooped to lay a kiss on his husband's slightly chapped lips. "Hello handsome. Welcome back to the land of the living. I've been calling you for ten minutes. What were you thinking about?" he asked.

"How we got here, actually, and who it is we have to thank for everything." Zabuza admitted, dragging the younger man to sit in his lap.

"Oh. Well, that's a hard one. Who was it that accepted us without a question to our loyalty? Who gave us his trust, who gave you your position, your lifelong dream, and who got us two together while we were kicking and screaming?" Haku snuggled into Zabuza's lap, pretending to think hard. After a while he said, "Give me a hint."

"Minx. But I love you anyway." The older man nuzzled the ear presented to him.

Haku practically purred in pleasure. "Mmm. Me too. Let's go home, you horn-dog, before we give anybody who's passing a show."

"Yeah, don't want to traumatize Eien-sama again, after that one time he walked in on us."

Laughing, the two men walked out of the building before using the special transport jutsu Eien-sama had invented to connect the villages he had conquered.

Just another day in the life.

* * *

The End! Of the chapter anyway. I love this couple! A bit of fluff for the holiday. I love Thanksgiving, I get to actually eat homemade food, and I don't have to pay for it! ^^ Yep, my priorities are skewed a bit. Any~who, off to work on another update. Can you believe I'm actually updating before midnight? Hasta la pasta!


	12. Chapter 11

Okay, sorry for the delay, folks, but this story has gained a mind of its own, and thusly, when it finally handed control back to me, I had no idea where to take it from there. But, thanks to the awesomeness that is my roommate, and her prowess with the computer, I found something interesting out. It might not be revealed during this chapter, but it'll come around eventually, and boy, will it throw y'all for a loop!

Disclaimer thingy: (To the tune of the Twelve Days of Christmas, starting at twelve) Of all the things I own, no one's given to me, twelve Narutos cloning, eleven Sasukes pouting, ten Sakuras fangirling, nine Kakashis reading, eight Tsunades drinking, seven Shizunes scolding, six Pakkuns barking, FIVE GOO~OOD KYUUBIS, four Akatsukis plotting, three Jiraiyas perving, two pet Kibas, and a Shika for me to outsmart!

So... in other words... no, I do not own Naruto, thank you for asking, though. ^^U

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_**Chapter 11**_

_"Minx. But I love you anyway." The older man nuzzled the ear presented to him._

_Haku practically purred in pleasure. "Mmm. Me too. Let's go home, you horn-dog, before we give anybody who's passing a show."_

_"Yeah, don't want to traumatize Eien-sama again, after that one time he walked in on us."_

_Laughing, the two men walked out of the building before using the special transport jutsu Eien-sama had invented to connect the villages he had conquered._

_Just another day in the life._

OoOoOoO

Gaara watched impassively as Eien paced and ranted insanely. The redhead had yet to actually figure out what was bothering the blond, but he thought he would eventually. He always did.

And it wasn't hard to guess that whatever it was, it had to do with the prisoner that resided in the dungeon presently, as Eien had just come back from visiting with him, and immediatly dug his closest friend out from under the paperwork that came with being a Kage to complain to him.

Gaara settled back into the chair for only a moment when Eien suddenly froze, then cursed. The younger boy knew that reaction. That was what his master did when a clone dispelled itself to report, and had less than joyful news.

The blond turned and looked straight into green eyes.

"The Akatsuki have gotten a hold of most of the other Jinchuuriki. Apparently, when they couldn't find you, Yugito, Utakata, or me, they decided to skip us. They have Yugara, Roshi, Fu, and Killer Bee. The only reason they don't have Han is because apparently he steam roasted the last guys they sent, though now they plan on sending actual inner members." Eien informed his friend. Gaara frowned.

"A is so protective of his younger brother, why hasn't he sent for help, yet?" Just as the red head said that, a loud tap came from the closed window, and they both saw a desert buzzard perched on the sill, a letter clamped in its powerful jaws.

Approaching the window cautiously, Eien opened it, and the majestic, hardy animal fluttered in and placed its message by the older teen's hand, then went back to the sill to wait for a reply.

After a few diagnostic jutsus were run, and the letter was deemed safe to open, both Jinchuuriki quickly unraveled it together, and scanned it silently.

It was as they expected. A plea from the only Kage allowed to stay in power and rule his people as the willed, the Raikage, A, to save his younger brother and their fellow Jinchuuriki, Killer Bee, who had apparently been captured while he was strolling along the outer edges of Kumogakure.

"That idiot! He knew they were out there searching for all of us! We warned him several times!" Eien shouted needlessly.

He huffed irritably. He knew that this would be hard. They had to save all four of them, and still keep their identities safe so they don't share the same fate! He and the other remaining Jinchuuriki were the only one's that stood a chance against the power of the Akatsuki, whom he knew were run by the mentally unstable, yet seemingly immortal, Uchiha Madara.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!" He exclaimed, biting his finger viciously and smacking the ground. Small flames erupted and a tiny fox was expelled messily from them.

"Damn it. Still need to work on the landing if I'm ever going to be as cool as Kyuubi-sama." The animal muttered. Unlike most of his other summons, the young fox was the shade of its natural brethren, and would blend well if it needed to hide.

"Tiame, I need you do do something for me." Eien barked, bringing the summons out of its musings.

"Yes, Eien-sama? I live to serve..." The fox looked at the clock for a moment before continuing, "... for another three hours. Then it's Jayla's shift."

Jayla and Tiame were of the lowest level of his chain of summons, having just graduated from their world's equivalent of the Ninja Academy, and were only good for carrying messages to Kyuubi for now.

"Tell Kyuu that we'll be mobilizing. Totally. Rally all troops and prepare for an all out war." The blond sighed.

Amber eyes widened. "Why?" Tiame murmured, though his voice sounded more reverent than scared. "That order's never been given by you, not even during the hostile takeover of any of the hidden Villages!"

"Because," Eien watched Gaara give the same orders to one of his own low level summons, "We're going after the Akatsuki."

OoOoOoO

_**"Kit..."**_The rumbling voice in his mind was reassuring, even through the chaos around him. Kyuubi rarely found it necessary to resort to speaking mind to mind anymore, opting instead to letting Eien summon him when they needed to talk. _**"Why did you have Tiame bring me that message, instead of just summoning me directly?"**_

_"Because, you spend an hour demanding I admire you before we actually get anything done. I thought I'd forgoe that. I needed that time to prepare my own troops."_Eien explained absently, even as he herded children into a collective building to be watched by some of the adults. Most of the psuedo-parents were joining the march to the Akatsuki's hideout.

Kyuubi watched his heir's actions through red tinted blue eyes. Figures his young one would worry about the children first. He wanted them to have what he never did, which is why he developed the parental distribution system, so no child that resided in the towns they took over would be an orphan.

_**"Do their parents know where they're going? Who they're going to fight? How unlikely it is that even half of them will amke it back alive?"**_ As much as it pained him, the Fox knew he would have to be the voice of reason in the blonde's chaotic mind, because that was the role needed right now.

_"Yes. And it puzzles me that they're still consenting to go."_ Eien thought, as the last child disappeared through the door.

_**"You still haven't realized it, have you, kit?"**_

_"Realized what, Kyuu?"_The boy once known as Naruto asked curiously as he made his way beck to the Kazekage Tower to make sure Gaara had contacted Yugito, Utakata, and Han all right. They would be needed, even though the last one didn't pledge his loyalty solely to the Jinchuuriki of the Nine Tails. He would come anyway. Through all the suffering they had done separately, when they knew about each other, each human sacrifice had unwittingly made the same vow. They, the nine Jinchuuriki of the elemental demons, would stick together and help each other when it was needed. The blond had just pursued that vow more seriously than the others had.

_**"I don't know if it's some strange bloodline you possess, or if it just comes natural to you, but you, my Kit, instill great loyalty in everyone, be they friend or foe. Remember how Utakata refused to let you become his master at first, because of what his last did, or how Yugito didn't want to follow around a seven year old, and how did she put it, 'Change your nappies, you snot nosed brat.' Given time and ample opportunity, people naturally gravitate towards you, Kit. Hell, I was all set to hate my jailer, until I looked into scared, sky blue eyes, as the voice of a lit, barely old enough to walk, asked me if I was there to hurt him to. These people will fight for you, die for you, Eien, because they know that you would the same thing for each and every one of them."**_

Eien stopped in the middle of the street, those sky blue eyes wide with shock and shining with unshed tears, as he looked around the village that was bustling with the preparations of war, and knew the same scene was playing in villages all over the continent.

_"I-I don't know if I can let them do that, Kyuu..."_And for the first time since he was six, since the time he left the home of the only mentor he knew, his voice rang with uncertainty. This was not the voice of Eien, fearless leader of legions, fighter for the rights of those he held dear, or friend to the most powerful people of the world, but that of Naruto Uzumaki, four-year-old, abandoned and alone.

The supposedly heartless demon shuddered at that lost sounding tone. He had made sure long ago that he would get rid of it once and for all, and thought he had. _**"Kit, these people aren't going to let you go alone into the lion's den. They're giving you no choice because they **_care_**about you, not because they feel obliged. So, for these people, be strong, and keep as many of them safe as possible, because that's the only thing you can do."**_ The fox knew he picked the right words to comfort his kit when he literally felt the young man's resolve harden.

OoOoOoO

Kakashi stirred from the hard cot when he heard the door clang open again. Expecting another meal, he waited for one of the many young ladies usually sent to tend for him. He drew in a sharp, surprised breath when the blond he hadn't seen for what felt like eternity stepped into the wane light.

"Hatake-san," Eien said, walking sedately to the silver haired man. He now stood closer than he ever had while talking to his captive, Kakashi realized absently in the back of his head.

"We are going to war, Hatake-san." Eien calmly told the bound man.

"W-with Konoha?" Kakashi questioned. He feared for his home because he now knew that the man before him wasn't just a lackey to the Kazekage, but that most of the Kage's were, in fact, _his _lackeys. The forces needed to run those villages would topple the once powerful, but slowly corroding city in a matter of hours.

Eien laughed bitterly. "I wish. No, the opponent we will face will be far more difficult to defeat than that village, and you wouldn't know them. And this war will take up most of my resources and forces. Simply, I can't afford to keep you here anymore, Hatake-san."

"So, that's it then. I will die, not because of your personal vendetta against me, but for convienience's sake." Kakashi felt an odd sort of serenity wash over him. He would die, and he accepted that fact.

Another laugh, this one with a bit mirthful. "No, Hatake-san. You will suffer a fate much worse than death." Kakashi watched apathetically as the other man's elegant hands flew through handseals in a pattern he didn't recognize.

"Kaimetsu no jutsu." The younger man announced, and Kakashi knew no more.

* * *

Haha! I did it I did it! Uh huh uh huh uh huh! This story was giving me _soooo_many problems, but then I started working on my Harry Potter fic, and, BAM! inspiration for this one struck. Problem is, the real inspiration is for the next chapter, so I had to keep this one short, sweet, and to the point. So, any guesses as to what Eien-chan just did to Kaka-kun? I'll give you a hint, he didn't kill him! Isn't that an awesome hint? Sorry if you don't like a soft Kyuubi, but I needed someone to be Eien-chan's support structure, and Kyuu-kun won the vote! Oh, and another hint, because I'm so kind, the meaning to Kaimetsu!

Kaimetsu no jutsu- Obliteration jutsu


	13. Chapter 12

Announcing, Chapter 12!

* * *

_**Chapter 12**_

_**Recap**_

_"So, that's it then. I will die, not because of your personal vendetta against me, but for convenience's sake." Kakashi felt an odd sort of serenity wash over him. He would die, and he accepted that fact._

_Another laugh, this one with a bit mirthful. "No, Hatake-san. You will suffer a fate much worse than death." Kakashi watched apathetically as the other man's elegant hands flew through hand seals in a pattern he didn't recognize._

_"Kaimetsu no jutsu." The younger man announced, and Kakashi knew no more._

_

* * *

_

Hatake Kakashi sat up in his bed, breathing heavily from a nightmare he could not remember. He looked around his apartment frantically, but nothing was amiss, and the jounin finally relaxed back into the comfort of his bed. Looking out the window, he saw it was well past midnight. That was strange. He didn't remember falling asleep. In fact, thinking hard, he didn't remember coming home at all. Once again he tensed.

Genjutsu Masters could fool all five senses into believing an illusion, and Kakashi withdrew the kunai from under his pillow and stood carefully, waiting for an unseen attack.

When nothing came, he formed a hand seal, and shouted, "Kai!" Once again, nothing. He was either truly in his own apartment, or in a very believable replica. He turned quickly and reached between his mattresses, looking for something in particular, something no replication could have, because no one knew about it, and it was sealed to only react to his chakra signature.

To his shock and relief, Kakashi felt the sheaf of papers and withdrew them. It was a pile of newspaper clippings, ANBU reports, and pictures, all about one boy. Naruto Uzumaki grinned up at him from the pictures, ranging from birth to four years old. None were more recent than that.

The oldest pictures were riddled with holes from kunai practice. To Kakashi's grieving mind, the demon child had taken his sensei from him in one of his greatest times of need. As the pictures showed the child growing up, the holes grew more and more sparse, as Kakashi's rage dwindled, until the final picture was pristine, unless one counted the obvious tear markings. The picture was taken the day the boy ran away, and Kakashi knew, deep down, that it was partially his fault.

He knew something few others did. That Naruto Uzumaki was given a different name at birth, one that bore more significance than anyone would ever know. Naruto Kazama took his first breath on October tenth, sixteen years prior, and his last under that name the same day. In order to protect the infant from incurring the wrath of his father's enemies, the Hokage, newly reinstated, rechristened him by his mother's last name.

Too bad that that lack knowledge that kept the boy safe from outside forces did not do the same from inside forces. If the citizens of Konoha had known that the vessel of the nine tailed demon fox was also the son of their beloved savior, well, he would probably have been treated like the prince he was.

Kakashi was one of the only ones that knew from the beginning, though he still didn't forgive the kid until just before his defecting from his home village, which was discovered, was for a good reason. The three men found hanging at the village's gate were later discovered to have gang raped the four-year-old, though how the Hokage knew that was beyond the silver haired man. There were no tests that could prove it. But the ancient man seemed sure, and the three names were never added to the Memorial Stone.

Kakashi sat down heavily on his bed, still staring at the photograph. He wondered idly wondered if Naruto was still alive today, where would he be and what would he look like. A brief, ghostly image of a blond boy glaring down at him with icy blue eyes flashed through his mind, but was gone before he could completely grasp it.

Still thinking of the boy, Kakashi drifted back into uneasy dreams.

* * *

Eien checked the formation of his troops one last time. After sending Kakashi back to Konoha with a message for Sai that Konoha could wait, and to keep an eye on the troublesome silver haired man, they were ready to move out. Clones dispersing from their stations at other villages confirmed the same for the rest of his loyal group.

These men and women, who had laughed with him, cried with him, and fought for him were ready to do it again, this time with more risk than they've ever faced.

It was all Eien could do not to suddenly go off alone, to fight the Akatsuki. These people might die, and he didn't want that to happen. But they'd probably come after him regardless, led by a severely pissed off Gaara. So he would lead them to the unknown, and pray to a god he didn't believe in that they would all come home safe.

Nodding to Gaara, who stood beside him with glowing green eyes, Eien signaled it was time to move out. The world would converge on the head quarters of the Akatsuki, and the blond only hoped it was enough.

* * *

Sai read through the letter quickly, before burning it and watching the ashes mingle in the air. His new master called for patience, not to enact the plan yet, and to keep the buffoon who had discovered too much to figure out he had been missing for days.

For a former ROOT operative, all of was easily accepted. The black hared boy resettled in his perch to watch the man carefully. He had received both the ninja and the message, shockingly enough, from a frog.

There was more to this than met the eye, apparently.

* * *

Yugito eyed the forces around her speculatively, as the men and women showed no signs of fear or uncertainty. They knew there was a steep chance they would die in this battle, but every single one of them forged onwards, towards their doom, for one reason and one reason only, because Eien needed them to.

Yugito wished she instilled that sort of loyalty. The cat in her lap purred blissfully.

* * *

Gaara nodded to his master, who smiled softly back. The troops began to move, first in coordinated steps, but, because they were ninja, they all took to the trees and began moving in a more sporadic fashion, the red head and blond at the forefront. A fox hopped beside them, going from branch to branch as easily as they did. He would b sent back to the summons realm as soon as they neared their destination, to warn his master of the impending mass summons. A tanuki dashed beside them for the same reason.

They were taking no chances.

* * *

Utakata played his flute almost idly as he dashed through the terrain, his a thousand men and women ranging around him, surging forward.

The boy eyed the slug perched on his shoulder. To most, the bug was ugly, deformed, but to the brunette it was beautiful, a work of art.

He used to never tap into his demon's powers, opting instead to use his own, but because of Eien, he now had an accord with the demon slug, and they had a deep friendship and mutual respect.

The teen owed so much to the younger boy.

* * *

Han moved alone, save for the odd looking animal he rode. It was known to most as an animal of legend, a dolphin horse. Han knew it to be real because he held the demon inside him, and used its subordinates as his main mode of transportation.

After receiving a letter from one of the only people he respected, Han was traveling away from his home village. Being the main adviser to the Tsuchikage had its perks. He had been offered the position itself, but declined. It held too many bad memories.

Instead of traveling with the rest of the troops from his village, he set off alone, going in a slightly different direction. He had a secret that no one knew, and had to go take care of it before he left to fight for and possibly die for the younger blond.

He arrived at a small house just outside the hidden village, and slid off his mount. He had taken off his armor earlier. It was of no use here.

A small child spotted him from where she was playing in the sand, and grinned widely, showing off a missing front tooth, before running to his and throwing herself in his arms.

"Daddy!" She cried happily. A woman smiled sweetly at him from the doorway.

* * *

Two days later, all of the converging forces were going just as strong as at the beginning of the tour.

Eien shaded his eyes as he looked down into the canyon. Across from his own group, he spotted all of the others. They were all perched on the precipice, waiting for his signal to attack.

Almost to himself, Eien muttered, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the home base of the Akatsuki."

* * *

A bunch of POV changes in this one, to make up for the lack of flashback. /:J Sorry for the long wait, but I hope to update more soon. But, for now, I have one other chapter to write for another story, before I post them en masse.


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